Luna Rossa Challenge advances to the Final

Luna Rossa Challenge advances to the Final; Spanish win second race

Valencia, 20 May, 2007 - BMW ORACLE Racing and Desafío Español faced 'must win' races on Sunday at the Louis Vuitton Cup. The Spanish won and live to race another day. The Americans lost and have been eliminated from the Louis Vuitton Cup.

The American team took to the water with a new skipper in Gavin Brady and new helmsman in Sten Mohr as previous skipper/helmsman Chris Dickson stepped off the boat. But it didn't change the result - Luna Rossa Challenge led around the race track again, sealing the series win.

The Spanish, in contrast, made no crew changes, apart from regular crew rotations. Helmsman Karol Jablonski started the boat to the right of the NZL 92 and eked forward by just a few metres with a tiny right shift. They managed to lead into the top mark by just 12 seconds and protected that tiny margin the rest of the way around the track.

Racing started in a building 10 knot Northeasterly breeze. By the top mark, the wind had increased, topping out near 15 knots. An enormous spectator fleet, numbering in the hundreds took in the action, supporting the home side, Desafío Español, who earned a terrific victory.

Racing will resume at the Louis Vuitton Cup on Tuesday, with Emirates Team New Zealand against Desafío Español 2007.

Match 1 - Desafío Español 2007 beat Emirates Team New Zealand - DELTA 0:15

It was an unconventional start to the match between Desafío Español 2007 and Emirates Team New Zealand, with both boats crossing the line on port tack. Soon after, the Kiwis rolled away onto starboard tack and a large split built between the two teams chasing better breeze on their sides of the course.

When they came back together up the course, the Spanish held a small lead to the right, and it was close all the way to the windward mark. Karol Jablonski steered ESP 97 to a 12 second lead around the windward mark, with both teams making great spinnaker hoists.

At the first gybe Spain made the better manoeuvre and extended a little, but the last gybe to the leeward gate was terrible on the Spanish boat and the New Zealand team closed the gap again, 13 seconds behind as they rolled into an immediate tack out of the right-hand gate mark. Spain tacked to cover and played a tight game up the final beat.

However New Zealand stayed close to Spain and rounded the final mark just 8 seconds behind. The first gybe would be crucial, a great opportunity for New Zealand to pounce on any error from the Spanish. But it was New Zealand who executed less than perfectly while Desafío Español nailed a beautiful manoeuvre to extend away for a jubilant 15-second victory over the Kiwis.

Match 2 - Luna Rossa Challenge beat BMW ORACLE Racing - DELTA 0:33

Luna Rossa Challenge wins the Semi Final 5-1 and advances to Louis Vuitton Cup Final

Luna Rossa helmsman James Spithill showed no mercy to Dane Sten Mohr, the replacement helmsman on BMW ORACLE Racing, who looked uneasy against the smooth handling of Luna Rossa.

ITA 94 launched off the pin end of the line at speed while USA 98 had to luff past the Race Committee boat for a slow start to the right. Seizing the early advantage, Spithill tacked over to put a loose cover on the Americans. When a left-hand windshift came in, it further favoured the Italian boat which crossed the Americans to claim the right side of the course.

At the first windward mark the Italian advantage was 32 seconds, and there was little difference in the deltas for the rest of the race, with Luna Rossa crossing the finish line 33 seconds ahead of BMW ORACLE Racing. The Italians had led the Americans around every mark of every race in their 5-1 domination of the Semi Final series.

Louis Vuitton Cup - Sunday's Semi Final matches

(the first team to win five points in each pairing advances)

Team

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Total

Emirates Team New Zealand

1

1

0

1

1

0

4

Desafío Español 2007

0

0

1

0

0

1

2

Team

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Total

BMW ORACLE Racing

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

Luna Rossa Challenge 

1

0

1

1

1

1

5

ends
 

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