Capsizes and collisions at iShares Cup
''BMW ORACLE Racing Spithill' skipper James Spithill (AUS) on one of the hull of catamaran, as boat just capsize - iShares Cup Skandia Cowes Week'
ThMartinez
The America's Cup teams stole the show on the first day of the iShares Cup, but with mixed fortunes in a full-on day at Skandia Cowes Week.
Franck Cammas, the offshore multihull specialist, got things off to a flying start by winning his very first iShares Cup race from America's Cup defenders Alinghi. He followed up to make it a double victory in race two, followed home by his BMW ORACLE Racing team mate James Spithill.
In between races two and three a dark squall came through the fleet - Team Aqua pitchpoled as they tried to bear away, spinning over on one hull and smashing their rig.
Current series leaders TEAMORIGIN came to the fore in the third race, to win from Franck Cammas. But Cammas' run of luck was to come to an end in the next when BMW ORACLE Racing crunched into the side of BT, leaving Cammas' boat with a smashed bowsprint and crumpled front beam, and Nick Moloney's BT boat with a gaping hole in the port side.
'It was like being in a pinball machine!' recalled BT skipper Nick Moloney.
In strong winds of 20-25 knots the rest of the fleet kept racing and TEAMORIGIN was next to bury their bows in the lumpy Solent seas and capsize - and soon followed by James Spithill on the remaining BMW ORACLE Racing Extreme 40, while Alinghi stole the lead.
The day's dramatic events leave Alinghi in the overall lead, just one point ahead of Holmatro - who had a consistent set of top four results. After an exhausting day on the water many crews now have a long night ahead of them repairing damaged boats, and nursing some bumps and scrapes although none of the sailors suffered any serious injury. 
by Event media 
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nedlands, WA
