Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, i risultati in terza giornata
LV Pacific SeriesVela 31 Gennaio 2009 Zerogradinord 1
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Louis Vuitton Pacific Series – Auckland – Al via la terza giornata di regate valide per le Louis Vuitton Pacific Series. Ad Auckland il vento è medio-leggero e il cielo coperto. I primi a darsi battaglia nelle acque della Waitemata Bay sono Alinghi e Team Origin.
Per ascoltare le regate in diretta clicca sul logo di BSport situato in testa alla colonna di destra.
Alinghi vs Team Origin
Strepitosa partenza di Ben Ainslie che sul colpo di cannone spinge oltre la linea Alinghi. Ed Baird, messo sotto scacco dal fuoriclasse inglese sin dal minuto prima del via, è stato costretto a rientrare per depenalizzarsi. La regata è virtualemente conclusa già dopo pochi metri.
Pataugas K-Challenge vs Damiani Italia Challenge
Battaglia a tutto campo tra Sebastien Col e Francesco Bruni. Dopo una partenza alla pari, Damiani Italia Challenge e Pataugas K-Challenge hanno interpretato al meglio lo spirito del match race. La prima bolina si è risolta al termine di un serrato duello di virate con gli italiani avanti di una manciata di metri. Sorpassati durante la prima poppa, gli uomini di Vasco Vascotto sono tornati avanti nel corso della seconda bolina grazie all’ottima tattica dello skipper triestino. Ultima impoppata senza storia: Damiani Italia Challenge fa suo un match importante e si proietta al comando del Pool A alla pari con Emirates Team New Zealand.
BMW Oracle Racing vs China Team
Sconfitto ieri da Dean Barker, Russell Coutts si è riscattato contro Ian Williams. Lo skipper di BMW Oracle Racing ha archiviato la pratica China Team grazie a una penalità inflitta in partenza al velista britannico. La regata si è così trasformata in un monologo a stelle e striscie.
Team Shosholoza vs Luna Rossa
Regata rinviata a causa di un problema tecnico allo strallo di prua di una delle due barche neozelandesi. Giunge la notizia che a causa del troppo vento – oltre 25 nodi – il Comitato di Regata ha spedito le barche, nel frattempo riparate, in porto.
Hanno riposato Emirates Team New Zealand e K-Challenge.
LVPS, risultati della terza giornata
Team Origin batte Alinghi di 0’36”
Damiani Italia Challenge batte Pataugas K-Challenge di 45″
BMW Oracle Racing batte China Team di 1’28”
Luna Rossa vs Team Shosholoza rinviata
Classifiche
Pool A
2 pt – Emirates Team New Zealand
2 pt – Damiani Italia Challenge
1 pt – Pataugas K-Challenge
1 pt – BMW Oracle Racing
0 pt – China Team
Pool B
2 pt – Team Origin
2 pt – Alinghi
0 pt – Team Shosholoza
0 pt – Luna Rossa
0 pt – Greek Challenge
[flashvideo filename=video/lvps/LVPS_pc_010209.flv /]
Il video della conferenza stampa. Video copyright Zerogradinord.it.
BRITISH TEAM DEFEATS SWITZERLAND’S ALINGHI
[Louis Vuitton Pacific Press Release] Britain’s newcomer Team Origin, with Olympic ace Ben Ainslie at the helm, put away the powerful Alinghi team from Switzerland today, right at the start of their race in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series.
It was the biggest scalp so far in the first three days of racing on the Waitemata Harbor as Ainslie forced Alinghi helmsman Ed Baird over the start line just one second before the gun. After circling back to restart, the Swiss trailed by over a minute behind at the first weather mark and although they closed the distance, never got back in the race.
Spectators ashore on vantage points like North Head and a fleet of waterborne watchers were treated to some close racing in winds that quickly built to 18 to 20 knots. The last race of the day was abandoned as the breeze went over 27 knots.
Ashore afterwards, Kiwi Mike Sanderson who is Team Director for the British said: ”Ben did a fantastic job, giving them (Alinghi) a little push. It made it pretty tough for them to get back behind the line.” Sanderson acknowledged the expertise of the two-time America’s Cup champion team, pointing out that the Swiss have set the benchmark in sailing Version 5 Cup boats. “We’ve got a long way to go,” he added.
The closest race of the day saw Italy’s Damiani Italia Challenge overcome a determined challenge from France’s Pataugas K-Challenge. Helmsman Francesco Bruni led at every mark although the leg changed at least once on the first weather leg. Sebastian Col, skipper of the French boat and the top-ranked match racer in the world, took the fight back to the Italians on the run, working into a position where the French were overtaking their opponents, only to be penalized for failing to respond to a luff.
A penalty played a role in the third race when China Team, sailing by Ian Williams was flagged by the umpires for sailing too close to BMW Oracle Racing, skippered by Russell Coutts. After that Williams did a good job of staying in contact with his opposition but a gennaker that blew out on the last run put paid to any hopes of redemption.
The last race of the day between South Africa’s Shosholoza and Italy’s Luna Rossa was initially delayed because of headfoil problems on the South African boat, and then abandoned because of strong winds. The race will be sailed tomorrow.
