Louis Vuitton Trophy, Spithill-Barker: a voi la finale
LV TrophyVela 26 Novembre 2010 Zerogradinord 0
Louis Vuitton Trophy – Dubai – Hanno illuso ma alla fine si sono dovuti arrendere. Mascalzone Latino Audi Team ha lottato in entrambi i match di semifinale contro la corazzata di Emirates Team New Zealand, ma è stato soprattutto un grande Ray Davies, tattico dei kiwi a mettere k.o. Gavin Brady & Co.
Gli italiani in entrambe le regate hanno fatto un primo lato aggressivo lasciando indietro gli avversari: poi il ritorno di Dean Barker, determinato a conquistare ad ogni costo la finale nelle acque di Dubai. Anche la presenza a bordo di Fabio Cannavaro, indimenticato capitano della nazionale di football campione del mondo nel 2006, non è bastata per ribaltare le sorti del match.
Domani le finali tra BMW Oracle Racing (che si è sbarazzato di All4One con un altrettanto secco 2-0) e Emirates Team New Zealand. I Mascalzoni comunque, chiudono il Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai con un ottimo terzo posto e All4One si piazza al quarto (in virtù dei piazzamenti nel Round Robin).
La finale, alla meglio delle tre regate, vedrà i team impegnati a bordo degli scafi di Emirates Team New Zealand.
Risultati odierni
BMW Oracle Racing batte All4One 2 a 0
Emirates Team New Zealand batte Mascalzone Latino Audi Team 2 a 0
Finale (domani ore 13.45)
BMW Oracle Racing vs Emirates Team New Zealand
LOUIS VUITTON TROPHY, AND THE FINAL WILL BE BMW ORACLE RACING VS EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND
[Louis Vuitton Trophy Press Release] New Zealand and the USA will meet in the finals of the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai tomorrow after each team won their semi-final contests 2-0 today in close racing on inshore waters off the Dubai International Marine Club.
The American team BMW Oracle Racing beat the French/German team All4One while Emirates Team New Zealand defeated Italy’s Mascalzone Latino Audi Team. Races were close and hard-fought. All4One and Mascalzone Latino each lost races on penalty calls.
Tomorrow the USA’s BMW Oracle Racing, winner of the 33rd America’s Cup will square off in a best-of-three race series against the New Zealand team that won the Louis Vuitton Cup in Valencia in 2007.
Asked about his last big race against Emirates Team New Zealand, BMW Oracle Racing’s skipper James Spithill said it was during the Louis Vuitton Cup in Valencia.
Spithill’s team spent much of the intervening years in the legal limbo that followed the 2007 Cup and preparing for and winning their catamaran challenge for the 33rd America’s Cup. The Americans have been major supporters of the Louis Vuitton Trophy competition, racing in several events, but without much success.
“I feel we’re back at the level that’s required now,” Spithill said. “Obviously these Team New Zealand guys have been sailing monohulls and racing together for a long time. It’s been a big push from us to go back to work and get back to this level. I’m happy with how the guys have really taken the challenge on.
“We’ve put ourselves into the position now where we can win the regatta. It’s just going to come down to tomorrow and I think it will be a pretty tough series. Dean is a fantastic sailor, calm and with a good temperament. He and I have had some great racing over the years. I don’t expect tomorrow to be any different.”
Barker and the Kiwis had to come from behind today in both their races against Gavin Brady and the Mascalzone Latino Audi team. In their second race Barker caught the Italian boat at the weather mark and forced a penalty that became the Kiwi’s ticket to the finals.
“It was hard out there today, trying to pick the right side of the course,” Barker said. It’s not easy. Mascalzone led both times at the top marks but fortunately we were able to keep the racing close enough. The guys sailed really well all round the course, keeping it close and taking advantage of the opportunities.”
Barker was cautiously optimistic, looking forward to tomorrow’s finals. “There have been five Louis Vuitton Trophy events and we’ve been in the final of all of them,” he said. “Oracle was at La Maddalena and they were ninth. Here they’ve been the form team and we’ll have to sail well tomorrow to beat them.”
In the first race tomorrow BMW Oracle Racing will enter the start box from the favored starboard side. Emirates Team New Zealand will sail NZL-92, the newest of the Kiwi boats. BMW Oracle Racing will sail NZL-84.
Today’s race
BMW Oracle Racing beats All4One 2-0
Emirates Team New Zealand beats Mascalzone Latino Audi Team 2-0
Final (tomorrow 13.45)
BMW Oracle Racing vs Emirates Team New Zealand
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