INEOS Britannia (Port Entry) vs. Alinghi Red Bull Racing Race 11

With 8-11 knots on the racecourse and the AC75s are ripping around. Britannia came in at two minutes 10 seconds and makes the first cross before tacking around to pick up the tail of the Swiss. On the final set-up to the line, Alinghi Red Bull Racing go early and have time to kill whilst the British signal their intent to start to windward at pace. The Swiss nail the bias and start in fast mode down at the port end of the line to lead to the boundary. But then they fall off the foils on the first tack, giving away all of their advantage. The British tack to leeward and pull ahead on a drag race and then cover tenaciously, building an early and decisive lead of over 100 metres.

A shift out right brings the Swiss back into the race and Britannia’s lead is just six  seconds at the first mark. Downwind, Alinghi sails smart, picks up some better pressure, before capitalising on a slow gybe from the British and roll over the top of Britannia and into an almost 400 metre lead. INEOS Britannia look to have big issues down the first run and the lead stretches to 800 metres with Alinghi Red Bull racing rounding one minute and one second ahead.

At the halfway mark, and a solid second upwind, the Swiss round at just under 42 knots, looking alive with a lead still at one minute and one second. INEOS Britannia struggles through an initial gybe, with a wide exit as the flight controllers struggle to maintain flight, and the Swiss lead stetches out to above 1000 metres. Britannia trail around the final leeward mark some one minute and 25 seconds ahead but with the wind dropping and the sea-state maintaining a constant wave height of just under a metre, both boats are being forced to ride high through the tacks to stay in flight. Alinghi Red Bull Racing does a first-class job, nailing the final port layline to the windward mark which the British mis-judge and fall off their foils.

Game over for the British in this race, Alinghi Red Bull Racing bring ‘BoatOne’ across the finish line to record a one minute and 23 second victory to extend the series and it’s now 4-2.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (Port Entry) vs. NYYC American Magic Race 12

Last chance saloon for NYYC American Magic but these conditions are tough, and they will be boosted by what they have just seen on the racecourse between the Swiss and British. At the start, Luna Rossa enters the box and goes deep to make the cross whilst Magic comes in, gybes, and sets up on the Italian stern for a long drag race out right. On the lead-back, Magic recovers from a slow gybe and heads high before bearing away down the line, getting over the bow of the Italians and starting in a brilliant position to leeward and ahead. Luna Rossa are forced to tack away immediately but click into pressure and sail over the line of Magic to steal into the lead by over 100 metres. Luna Rossa looks rapid with great pointing ability and the Americans have no answer at the moment. At the top mark, Luna Rossa rounds as Magic falls off the foils on the right boundary with the wind strength dropping to just 5 knots. This doesn’t feel over as both boats struggle to maintain flight downwind and are forced to sail wide angles.

On the wide angles, Luna Rossa lose the lead in a fascinating overtake as Magic comes from the right boundary and the Italians from the left, passing each other in parallel. In recognition of the conditions, the Race Committee shorten the legs to 1 nautical mile as both yachts criss-cross downwind, desperate to find VMG. Towards the bottom end of the course, the pressure shuts down and Magic falls off the foils but it’s a difficult pass for Luna Rossa as they desperately try to stay in flight. The boats are going boundary to boundary with Luna Rossa tacking around to keep the speed up and the Race Committee shorten the course to 0.8 nautical miles.  Magic regains flight and with the leeward mark approaching, nail the starboard layline and come in to the gate with the delta between the boats at zero seconds.

The Race Committee call for the race to be shortened so we now have two legs left. Magic holds a small lead having found a zephyr more pressure right but both boats are going boundary to boundary. Luna Rossa regain the lead out right. This is anyone’s game. At the final windward mark it’s neck and neck, but Magic come in on starboard and force Luna Rossa off the port layline and send oodles of wing-wash across their bow and stopping them from tacking. Luna Rossa sail out towards the boundary and then fall off the foils on the final tack before coming back at a snail’s pace to round the gate. Down the course, Magic also falls off the foils and it’s all about who can find pressure now to get down this run to the finish with both boats playing angles in displacement.

At the halfway mark, American Magic are nearly half the downwind leg ahead, almost 900 metres in the lead and then find the speed to build to flight as their fans go wild back at the base. A final gybe on the starboard layline into the finish line is executed brilliantly and the race is awarded to American Magic when Luna Rossa sails outside the course by 85 metres and is disqualified. American Magic cross the finish line regardless and this semi-final goes to 4-2. What a race.

INEOS Britannia (Port Entry) vs. Alinghi Red Bull Racing Race 13

Belief is everything and the Swiss are riding high after their lifeline win in the opening race of the day. After delays for the wind, racing gets underway in marginal conditions again and INEOS Britannia score a penalty for an early entry and both yachts go into wide circles to avoid wing-wash. After complete disengagement they come back together on the line with Britannia on port tack and BoatOne on starboard. Clever move by Britannia who wash off their penalty early and head to the right side of the course, more pressure. As the two boats come together mid-course, the Swiss dip and head right but the British hold a slight advantage. By the top mark, and in a building breeze at 10 knots, Britannia rounds with a 25 second advantage and looks fast in these conditions, powering downwind at speeds touching 40 knots.

Before the leeward mark, and with the Race Committee shortening legs to 1.2 nautical miles, Britannia survive several scares out of gybes, just managing to stay on the foils to lead by 31 seconds. The Swiss immediately head right but the British cover, coming from the left and then keep a close watching brief on the Swiss – the bigger mainsail that the British changed up to, is certainly helping and Britannia looks a different boat. At the second windward mark, Britannia is easily in control of the race with a delta now out to 50 seconds. With the wind fading and puffing, it’s a difficult downwind for the British with the Swiss really working hard to try and get back in. At the final leeward mark, Britannia turn up with two legs to go and a delta of 39 seconds.

The British take no chances and closely cover the Swiss up the final beat with plenty of concentration on maintaining flight and speed through the tacks. Some good positioning on the final entry to the windward mark, sees Britannia bear away with an enhanced lead and as they powered down the final run, they could see Alinghi Red Bull Racing off the foils as they made their final tack for the mark. No mistakes now, INEOS Britannia gybed to stay in the pressure patches filtering down the left side of the course and crossed the finish line to seal the semi-final and their place in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final. Alinghi Red Bull Racing exit the competition. Scoreline 5-2.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (Port Entry) vs. NYYC American Magic Race 14

Can the Americans win and keep the series alive? That’s the question now and the momentum seems to be with them against the clinical Luna Rossa. At the start, with the wind still marginal but above the baseline of 6.5 knots, Luna Rossa enters and easily crosses to head out to the right side of the box. Magic follow, and on the gybe back, set up to leeward initially before leading back on a fast reach down the line. Perfection from Tom Slingsby, he nails the port end and forces Luna Rossa to tack away. At the first cross, Magic is clear ahead but it’s tight and the Americans like the right side of the course. Luna Rossa head for the port layline whilst Magic sits on the starboard layline and as the two boats come together at the gate, American Magic lead by just 7 seconds. Split tactics down the first run initially with both boats going to alternate boundaries, and it’s Luna Rossa that gain and take the lead when the boats come together. Magic look to be struggling with pitch control in the lumpy conditions but it’s very tight into the first leeward gate. Having come from the port layline, Magic regains the lead on starboard gybe and rounds with a 4 second delta.

Up the second beat, Magic elects to go left whilst Luna Rossa clicks into a pressure patch out right and at the next cross, Italy regain the lead by a considerable distance, taking some 120 metres. Luna Rossa protects the right whilst Magic sees pressure to the left, tacks in it and seizes the lead. This is anyone’s race. At the second windward mark, Luna Rossa comes in on port tack into the 60-metre zone at the port marker and tack which forces Magic, who was sitting on the starboard layline to tack to the starboard marker. The delta was 8 seconds to Luna Rossa.

Drama ensues though after the first gybes as the two boats come together with Luna Rossa just ahead by a couple of boatlengths. A loud crack is heard and what looks like a component failure on the mainsail traveller system immediately causes the boat to stop as the crew scramble to assess the damage. Luna Rossa is forced to retire, meanwhile American Magic must complete the course to score the win and sail on unopposed. Harsh luck for the Italians and a long night for the shore team ahead. The scoreline is 4-3 and this intriguing Louis Vuitton Cup semi-final goes to Thursday.

Remember if you want to watch the America’s Cup, you can view the races live at the Kawana Bar in Javea from the 12th to the 27th October.  Just visit this link to sign up https://cbya.org/event/louis-vuitton-37th-americas-cup-match-2/