Cup Spy – Day 21: Louis Vuitton Cup

Cup Spy – Day 21: Louis Vuitton Cup – Brits become challengers for the first time in 60 years

by Richard Gladwell Sail-World NZ Oct 4 11:29 PDT

Louis Vuitton Cup Finals – Day 7 or Day 21 of the Challenger Selection Series for the Louis Vuitton Cup.

With an end-to-end race in Race 11 of the Louis Vuitton Cup, the Royal Yacht Squadron took another step towards winning the America's Cup, securing the Challenger Selection Series by a score of 7 points to 4.

The fate of the Italian challenger, representing the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, was all but sealed when he skipped two races on Thursday. The British's task was to win one of the three remaining races, which they achieved at the first opportunity.

Today's race was like all others that ended in the finale – there was no change to the result after the two potential challengers rounded Marker 1. Often only a few seconds lead remained as they rounded the crucial marker – although the two AC75s often rounded opposite gates and then took off on opposite sides of the often eight-section track.

The forecast for Friday called for lighter breezes than the 12-15 knots that prevailed for most of the race. This caused some discussion within the teams about the right choice of jib, with the Italians opting for a larger sail than the British.

INEOS Britannia decided on some unusual tactics before takeoff: she worked into the wind and sailed in circles around the starboard start mark to try to gain control of the takeoff. However, they called this off, did a nip and tuck to get inside the starboard start mark, sailed a perfectly timed final course along the start line and cruised with gunfire, reaching 40 knots while Luna Rossa was upwind and behind at 35 Knot sailed. Slowly, as the Italians picked up speed, they fell onto the exhaust; They were forced to turn away and move to the starboard (right) side of the course. The British now covered the lead to over 60 meters and got to work.

At Marker 1, the British were 10 seconds ahead around the starboard gate, coming from the starboard side of the course and effectively making a nuanced 270-degree turn around the marker, while the Italians approached from the same side from 150 meters away . raced around the opposite mark at 50 knots and started on the port side of the track. But that wasn't enough, and at the next intersection and for most of the race the lead was about 200 to 300 meters.

On the fifth leg, Italian hearts began to beat faster when the two boats parted sails after Luna Rossa opted for a 270-degree turn around the starboard gate and went to the starboard side.

It was necessary to clarify what the British were thinking, but it was time for the Italians to take some risks – and they did. When they first closed sail they were already somewhat close to the British lead, but when they closed again there was less than a boat's length.

The wind strength hardly fluctuated, the breeze was constant at 15 knots and had a direction of 206 to 208 degrees. Both AC75s rounded the same starboard gate at Marker 5, but the lead was down to 4 seconds, or just 22 meters, and it seemed like there might be a mid-race lead change for the first time in eleven races.

However, this was not to be the case as the Italians steadily built up a lead of just under 10 seconds in the next two stages, extending it to 17 seconds or 300 meters at the finish.

For the British, victory in the final was child's play, and the country that later won the America's Cup got its first opportunity to win it back in 60 years.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli's exit from the Louis Vuitton Cup marked the end of a 24-year, eight-year campaign involvement for their skipper Jimmy Spithill. The Australian has sailed for his home country, Italy and the USA, winning the America's Cup in 2010 and 2013.

Final – Match 11: INEOS Britannia (GBR) (Port Start Box Entry) vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) (Starboard Start Box Entry) Start: 12:15pm UTC

Grade 1: 03min 31sec GBR led ITA by 10sec

Grade 2: 06 min 29 sec GBR led ITA by 09 sec

Grade 3: 10 min. 21 sec. GBR led ITA with a lead of 11 seconds. Luna Rossa caught up – shortly before a change of lead

Grade 4: 13 min 20 sec GBR led ITA by 7 sec

Grade 5: 17 mins 23 secs GBR led ITA by 4 seconds

Grade 6: 20 mins 16 secs. GBR led ITA by 8 seconds

Grade 7: 24min 05sec GBR led ITA by 9sec

Grade 8: 26 mins 46 secs. GBR led ITA by 17 seconds

Friday, October 4, 2024: Race schedule – finals 11 and 12:

• Final – Match 11: INEOS Britannia (GBR) (Port Start Box Entry) vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) (Starboard Start Box Entry) Start: 12:15pm UTC
• Final – Match 12: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) (Port Start Box Entry) vs INEOS Britannia (GBR) (Starboard Start Box Entry) Start: 1:15pm UTC

Virtual eye

After the race, you can replay key points or the entire race using ARL's Virtual Eye by clicking here and clicking “Watch Previous” and then selecting the race you want to watch. This is a 3D viewer that allows you to zoom in and out, around, and up and down like you would in a helicopter.

Course location:

Weather forecast:

America's Cup weather partner PredictWind has launched a dedicated Race Weather Center, giving fans access to detailed daily weather reports, live webcams and historical weather data, as well as daily weather reports written by meteorologists.

Friday, October 4, 2024: Race schedule – finals 11 and 12:

• Final – Match 11: INEOS Britannia (GBR) (Port Start Box Entry) vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) (Starboard Start Box Entry) Start: 12:15pm UTC
• Final – Match 12: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) (Port Start Box Entry) vs INEOS Britannia (GBR) (Starboard Start Box Entry) Start: 1:15pm UTC

Current forecast for race day 21:

Friday, October 4, 2024

In the morning the offshore wind blows from the northwest. By midday the wind will die down and it will be difficult to build from the south as usual. In the afternoon we expect light and variable winds around 5 knots.

It will be a sunny day, but with colder temperatures up to 21°C; which is unfavorable for thermal wind development.

Saturday 5th afternoon: Winds from the southwest at around 6 to 8 knots are expected, slightly stronger than the previous day. Clear skies with rising temperatures.

By Arnaud Monges, former America's Cup team meteorologist

Virtual eye

After the race, you can replay key points or the entire race using ARL's Virtual Eye. This is the tool that Inside Tack uses to demonstrate various points – using the actual routes of the AC75.

You can go directly to Virtual Eye's America's Cup coverage by clicking here, clicking “Watch Previous” and then selecting the race you want to watch. Virtual Eye is a 3D viewer that allows you to zoom in and out, around, and up and down like you would in a helicopter.

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