Friday, June 08, 2007

Louis Vuitton Final - Match 5

Another light and shifty day for the Louis Vuitton Final. Luna Rossa managed to win the favoured right hand side at the start and were first to tack off to the right with ETNZ following close behind. When Luna Rossa returned onto to starboard tack near the layline she did not have that half boat length advantage to force ETNZ to tack well to leeward or consider ducking and going further out to the right. Instead ETNZ tacked about 1.5 boat lengths to leeward and slightly ahead of Luna Rossa. Unfortunately Luna Rossa were unable to live there and had to once again tack off to the starboard layline. ETNZ followed and carried Luna Rossa past the layline and almost into the spectator craft! By the first windward mark ETNZ was 20 seconds ahead. On the run, Luna Rossa did well to hold ETNZ and it seems the change in bulb wings and mainsail helped the boat perform a little better.
On the second beat Luna Rossa engaged ETNZ in a tacking duel but they did not make any mistakes, rounding the top mark again with a 20 second lead. On the run to the finish however Luna Rossa closed the gap from 60 to 30 metres at one stage, but it was all too late ETNZ crossed the finish line 22 seconds ahead and secured their right to race Alinghi in the America´s Cup.

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