PRADA WINS AGAINST AMERICA ONE

Luna Rossa, skippered by Francesco de Angelis, sailed today a very exciting and unpredictable race against AmericaOne with Paul Cayard at the helm.

After some very aggressive pre-start manouvering with each skipper trying to get the best possible position, Luna Rossa crossed the start line 4 seconds ahead of the Americans. Cayard tacked away from Luna Rossa and Francesco went over to cover his rival.

A strong tacking duel between the two yachts followed, with Luna Rossa keeping the lead. Then Luna Rossa decided to go to the left side of the course leaving AmericaOne to the right. At the first windward mark de Angelis was 23 seconds ahead.

The yachts pulled the spinnakers up but after a few minutes the shackle of the sheet on the Italian boat opened and the crew had to drop the sail. However, Luna Rossa managed to keep in front, but a few minutes later the same thing happened again on the same shackle.

The crew decided to drop the spinnaker and set the jib as they were very close to the mark and didn't have enough time to pull the spinnaker up.

Cayard overtook Luna Rossa and rounded the mark 24 seconds ahead.

In the last upwind leg Luna Rossa attacked AMatteo Plazzi, navigator on Luna Rossa, said: "Today's race was for sure a very exciting one with nice weather conditions. We had a good start which gave us enough advantage to take the lead. We were quite surprised by the technical probelm on our shackle as it never happened before whilst training".
Patrizio Bertelli, CEO of team Prada, was sailing on Luna Rossa today as 17th man - the guest allowed on board by the America's Cup rules who cannot take part in any way to the racing.

Saturday, team Prada will sail against Young America (skipper Ed Baird) of the New York Yacht Club. For the second match series Prada will not be racing as per calendar.

THE RACING TODAY (only one series of matches has been completed today because of the Coastal Classic Race starting from Auckland this morning).

RACE 7 - not racing FAST2000
1st match Spanish Challenge wins over Young Australia 2000 (37 seconds lead)
2nd match America True wins over Team Dennis Conner (41 seconds)
3rd match Nippon Challenge wins over Le Defi BTT (1 minute 53 seconds)
4th match Young America wins over Abracadabra 2000 (1 minute 24 seconds)
5th match Prada Challenge wins over AmericaOne (17 seconds)

RESULTS AFTER DAY FOUR OF ROUND ROBIN 1 (1 point per win)
7 pts - ITA 45 (Luna Rossa)
6 pts - USA 53 (Young America)*
5 pts - USA 49 (AmericaOne)*
3 pts - USA 54 (Abracadabra 2000)
3 pts - USA 55 (Stars & Stripes)*
3 pts - JPN 44 (Asura)
3 pts - ESP 47 (Bravo Espana)*
3 pts - USA 51 (America True)*
1 pt - FRA 46 (6eme Sens)
1 pt - AUS 29 (Young Australia 2000)*
0 pts - SUI 59 (be hAPpy)*
*AmericaOne, Young America, Stars & Stripes, Bravo Espana, America True, Young Australia 2000, be hAPpy have sailed only 6 races. The other challengers have completed 7 races.

RACE COURSE
Windward-leeward format, 12.5 nautical miles; four legs, two upwind and two downwind; the first and the last legs are 3.25 miles long, the others 3.00 miles.

THE WEATHER TODAY
SW, 10-20 knots, gusts up to 21 knots. Mainly sunny with a few showers in the morning.

THE CREW TODAY
1. Bowman, Paolo Bassani
2. Second bowman, Massimiliano Sirena
3. Mastman, Simone de Mari
4. Pitman, Cristian Griggio
5. Pitman, Vittore Vattuone
6. Grinder (left), Massimo Galli
7. Grinder (right), Romolo Ranieri
8. Tailer (left), Lorenzo Mazza
9. Tailer (right), Stefano Rizzi
10. Grinder/tailer, Daniele Bresciano
11. Instigator, Michele Ivaldi
12. Second mainsheet trimmer, Piero Romeo
13. Mainsheet trimmer, Pietro D'Alì
14. Helmsman, Francesco de Angelis
15. Tactician, Torben Grael
16. Navigator, Matteo Plazzi
*The instigator is the one who acts as liaison between the afterguard and the rest of the team.

THE WEATHER TOMORROW
SW, 10 knots, chance of an afternoon sea breeze. Sunny. A high pressure is moving onto the Tasman Sea and will move across Auckland on the weekend.

THE RACING TOMORROW
Tomorrow, 23 October, the racing is scheduled as follows:

RACE 8 - Not racing Nippon Challenge
1st match Le Defi BTT vs FAST2000 (start 10.40 am)
2nd match Team Dennis Conner vs Spanish Challenge (start 10.50 am)
3rd match Young Australia 2000 vs America True (start 11.00 am)
4th match AmericaOne vs Abracadabra 2000 (start 10.40 am)
5th match Prada Challenge vs Young America (start 10.50 am)

RACE 9 - Not racing Prada Challenge
1st match AmericaOne vs Team Dennis Conner
2nd match America True vs FAST2000
3rd match Young America vs Young Australia 2000
4th match Spanish Challenge vs Nippon Challenge
5th match Abracadabra 2000 vs Le Defi BTT

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