Rain clouds coming off the mountains to the north of Barcelona produced some challenging and dynamic conditions with enormous shifts in the wind on day one of the Louis Vuitton Cup’s second round robin — the stage of the Challenger Selection Series where every race really matters.
It’s ultra-serious from here on in with the immutable fact that for one team on Sunday, if everything goes to schedule, their Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup dream ends and they are eliminated.
Tension was palpable for the opening race of the day between Alinghi Red Bull Racing and Orient Express Racing Team. The Swiss, winless from Round Robin 1, were imperious from the start, building a massive lead and capitalising on a French mistake that saw them off the foils on the first upwind leg.
The Swiss never looked back, offering no passing lanes or ways back in for Orient Express Racing Team and sailed smoothly over six legs to secure a morale-boosting win that could be absolutely vital at the end of this regatta in the case of an undecided tie-break.
Two other teams that are enjoying a tight battle came head-to head in the second race of the day, with Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli facing off in a fascinating encounter. There doesn’t appear much to choose between these two other than racecraft and boat positioning, which today Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni nailed to perfection onboard Luna Rossa right at the start.
Gassing the Kiwis in the final approaches to the line and forcing them into a low-speed tack that saw Emirates Team New Zealand off the foils, gave full advantage to Luna Rossa who survived a nervy sky-rocket broach on a tack exit to lead at every mark.
Drama, however, ensued on the final downwind to the finish with the weather deteriorating and rumbles of thunder heard close by, when a lightning strike was spotted hitting the water just a few hundred metres ahead of Luna Rossa on their way to the finishing line.
Sensibly the race committee called an almost immediate halt to racing, awarding the win to Luna Rossa while Emirates Team New Zealand was scored a DSQ for going far outside the boundary as they headed off the racecourse in an effort to avoid the incoming weather. Both boats dropped sails immediately and fast-towed back to the Port Vell. A dramatic conclusion to an interesting two-race day.
