Emirates Team New Zealand sweeps the Louis Vuitton

Emirates Team New Zealand sweeps the Louis Vuitton Cup final

Valencia, 6 June, 2007 - Emirates Team New Zealand won its fifth consecutive race of the Final to sweep the Louis Vuitton Cup 5-0 and advance to the America's Cup Match. Italy's Luna Rossa Challenge put up a brave fight in this final contest on Wednesday afternoon, but were no match for the mighty Kiwis.

Racing was postponed for a short time to allow the light sea breeze to stabilise and settle. The fifth race of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final began in an 8 knot Southeasterly, with hundreds of spectator boats out to see Emirates Team New Zealand claim the Louis Vuitton Cup.

The Kiwi team returned to Port America's Cup to a heroes welcome, settling in for the prize giving ceremony where the coveted Louis Vuitton Cup trophy was to be presented to a triumphant Emirates Team New Zealand.

Match 5 - Emirates Team New Zealand beat Luna Rossa Challenge - DELTA 0:22

It was Emirates Team New Zealand's turn to enter the left-hand side of the start box and Dean Barker steered up into an early dial-up against Luna Rossa. There was a bit of separation between the boats and Barker pulled off a daring move to bear away on port underneath the Italian boat. James Spithill couldn't respond in time, and Barker won the right of the start box.

However, at start time, with New Zealand controlling the lead into the line, they chose the left side of the start with Italy starting on the right. It was an even start, but soon Luna Rossa tacked away, New Zealand following to shadow their move. There was nothing to choose for speed between the boats as they sailed nearly all the way out to the starboard layline.

Eventually the Italians tacked and it looked like they might be able to seize control of the Kiwis. However ITA 94 couldn't live in the backwash of disturbed air from the Kiwi rig and the Italians tacked away again. They tried a couple of extra tacks against New Zealand but by now, time was running out as Barker carried the fight beyond the starboard layline.

New Zealand led the race back to the windward mark and extended to a 20-second delta around the first mark. It was the same delta at the leeward gate, as the Italians followed New Zealand around the right-hand mark, the boats showing very similar speed downwind.

The Italians tried a more aggressive approach to the second beat, initiating a tacking duel against the Kiwis. It was working, Luna Rossa reducing the gap to just a boatlength at one point, but New Zealand always controlling the game. At the top mark it was yet another 20-second delta, and with time running out the Italians tried to find something better on the left of the course, gybing away early.

It worked, as the Italians closed the game down and got to within a boatlength of the Kiwis at one point. The aggressive tactics were paying off, but time was running out and the New Zealanders held their nerve to win the match by 22 seconds, and sweep the Louis Vuitton Cup Final 5-0.

ENDS

© Scoop Media