ONLY TWO RACES COMPLETED TODAY

Only two races were completed in today's sailing of the Americas Cup challenger series, the Louis Vuitton Cup, due to light winds and fickle wind drifts.

The Cup Race Committee allowed the match between Luna Rossa and America True (skipper Dawn Riley, helmsman John Cutler) to begin.

Prada's Luna Rossa proved too swift in light air for America True. Luna Rossa won by 3 minutes 28 seconds.

Luna Rossa's skipper, Francesco de Angelis, crossed the start line at the Committee boat end leading the Americans by 3 seconds.

Both boats had a crew member on the top of the mast spotting for wind and helping the mainsail battens around during tacks.

Luna Rossa defended the right side of the course, but the wind kept shifting favouring both teams at different times. During the first beat upwind the yachts kept close, covering each over and trying to gain advantage from the puffs of air.

Luna Rossa rounded the first mark 33 seconds ahead. The Race Committee had to change course; both yachts hoisted the asymmetrical spinnaker and a began a gybing duel. Luna Rossa kept the lead rounding the leeward mark 48 seconds ahead of America True. The wind decreased to 3 knots. The wind increased slightly on the last leg and team Prada crossed the finish line 3 minutes 28 seconds in front of America True.

In the other match completed today: Team Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes won over FAST2000 by 2 minutes.

Stars & Stripes nothched up another win against the Swiss challenge, be hAPpy. be hAPpy's skipper, Jochen Schümann, incurred a penalty at the start for the Swiss for sailing well above the start line before the start.

Both Stars & Stripes and be hAPpy were late to start - the Americans leading the way back to dip the line 34 seconds ahead of the Swiss. With the winds oscillating wildly at times, Stars & Stripes chose to cover as much as possible.

That strategy paid off as Schümann never closed within a minute of the Americans.

be hAPpy didn't have much opportunity on the final two legs as a wild wind shift to the left rendered the final two legs a reach. The Swiss did a penalty turn just before the finish line, thus fulfilling their obligations.

The win propells Team Dennis Conner into second place on the points table. Other a number of the trailing teams have an extra race to sail.

Other races were cancelled due to no wind: AmericaOne versus the French of Le Defi began their race but failed to complete the first leg within the required 50 minutes time limit.

The other races scheduled for the Pacific Course, namely Nippon Challenge vs Young Australia 2000 and Spanish Challenge vs Abracadabra 2000, were also cancelled.

These three matches not sailed today will be re-sailed at the end of Round Robin two.

THE RACING TODAY - RACE 6 of Round Robin two
1st Match AmericaOne vs Le Defi (race cancelled)
2nd Match Nippon Challenge vs Young Australia 2000 (race not started)
3rd Match Spanish Challenge vs Abracadabra 2000 (race not started)
4th Match Prada Challenge wins over America True (3 minutes 28 seconds)
5th Match Team Dennis Conner wins over FAST2000 (2 minutes)
NOT RACING Young America

RESULTS AFTER DAY SIX OF ROUND ROBIN 2 (4 points per win)
30 pts - ITA 45 (Luna Rossa)
20,5 pts - USA 55 (Stars & Stripes)
20 pts - USA 53 (Young America)*
20 pts - USA 49 (AmericaOne)**
18 pts - USA 51 (America True)
13,5 pts - JPN 44 (Asura)**
12 pts - USA 54 (Abracadabra 2000)**
9 pts - ESP 47 (Bravo Espana)**
8 pts - SUI 59 (be hAPpy)
6 pts - FRA 46 (6eme Sens)**
5 pt - AUS 31 (Young Australia 2000)**
*Young America was not racing today.
**Races not sailed.

THE WEATHER TODAY
Heating kept the wind light (3-6 knots) until midday when the SW wind built near 10 knots and became steady in speed and direction. Waves less than 0.5 metres.

THE RACING TOMORROW - RACE 7 of Round Robin two
1st Match Young Australia 2000 vs Spanish Challenge
2nd Match Team Dennis Conner vs America True 3rd Match Le Defi vs Nippon Challenge
4th Match Abracadabra 2000 vs Young America
5th Match AmericaOne vs Prada Challenge
NOT RACING FAST2000

THE WEATHER TOMORROW
Sea breeze. Mainly sunny. The outlook is for NNE winds 10 knots on Tuesday, 15 knots on Wednesday. Sunny with cloudy periods.

THE RACE COURSE
Windward-leeward format, 18.5 nautical miles; six legs, three upwind and three downwind; the first and the last legs are 3.25 miles long, the others 3.00 miles.

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