Racing Halted as Light Winds Disrupt Day 2 of Louis Vuitton Cup Final
by INEOS Britannia 28 Sep 11:52 PDT
28 September 2024
INEOS Britannia faces Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on Louis Vuitton Cup Final Race Day 2 – September 28, 2024 © David Maynard / www.alleycatphotographer.com
INEOS Britannia faces Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on Louis Vuitton Cup Final Race Day 2 – September 28, 2024 © David Maynard / www.alleycatphotographer.com
Day 2 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final was marked by frustration for INEOS Britannia, as they had to abandon the race they were leading by 500m on the final leg due to light winds.
The second day of competition between the British team and Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli was marred by weak wind conditions. The race committee delayed the start by nearly two hours in hopes that the wind would reach the minimum racing threshold. When racing finally commenced, INEOS Britannia excelled in the lighter conditions, taking the lead ahead of the Italians. However, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli faltered in the light winds and lost lift in leg five, while Britannia soared ahead. Unfortunately for the British team, they too fell off their foils during that leg, leading to the race’s abandonment as the time limit wasn’t met. Consequently, all racing for the day was canceled, leaving the series tied at 1-1 in a best-of-seven format.
Dylan Fletcher, Co-Helm of INEOS Britannia, remarked: “It was disappointing not to finish the race we were leading but we’ll focus on the positives and hope for better conditions tomorrow. Despite the outcome, we managed well in those light winds and are grateful to the Cyclors for their efforts, which were impressive. People often don’t realize how challenging these boats are to maneuver, and we pushed ourselves to the limit in these circumstances. It’s all valuable experience and we will definitely learn from this.”
The abandoned race was a tense situation, with INEOS Britannia leading by nearly six minutes on the last leg as the time limit was reached. Ben Ainslie and his team performed exceptionally well, but given the lengthy postponement, it was always going to be challenging. From the moment they entered the start box, staying airborne became the priority, resulting in an unconventional start with the British boat at the right-hand mark and the Italians at the left.
Britain had the favored end of the line, and when Luna Rossa tacked at the boundary, INEOS Britannia managed to tack on their air, moving into an 82m advantage. When the Italians tacked again, Ainslie and his crew let them go, having spotted a favorable right-hand shift that allowed them to gradually pull away, eventually leading by 200m and rounding the left-hand mark 19 seconds ahead.
Luna Rossa opted for the opposite mark following a tricky tack and bear away, managing to select the right side and utilizing it to make their move toward the boundary. However, when both teams gybed, INEOS Britannia entered better pressure first and began to gain. When they gybed back, the British executed a successful maneuver as they regained pressure quickly. A slight misstep from Luna Rossa during their gybe at the boundary enabled Ainslie’s team to extend their lead, finishing with a 15-second margin at the gate.
On the next lap, INEOS Britannia demonstrated excellent course management, holding a 1-minute 13-second lead at gate four. As the wind began to falter, the focus shifted to maintaining lift. On leg five, both Luna Rossa and INEOS Britannia dropped off their foils while attempting to tack. The British continued sailing ahead, but as the clock ran down with only the final leg remaining, the time ran out and the race was ultimately abandoned.
Racing is set to resume on Sunday, with expectations for improved conditions. Viewers in the UK can watch live on Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com from 13:00 BST (14:00 CEST).
