Louis Vuitton Pacific Series - Day 9 Race Reports and Virtual Eye

7:44 PM Sun 8 Feb 2009 GMT

'Louis Vuitton Pacific Series - Day 9 - Emirates Team NZ v Team Origin at the finish' ARL Media Click Here to view large photo

There were major weather delays today in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series. There was a substantial delay after the first race was sailed as officials waited for the wind to settle and build. Racing in the two final races got underway about 1600hrs. Only one pair of boats (ETNZ) were used meaning there was a 45 minute changeover period after the second race.

Race 3:

Team Origin beat Emirates Team NZ

Report to come

Race 2:
Alinghi beat BMW Oracle Racing - 27s
After declining to race against Emirates Team New Zealand yesterday for tactical reasons, Alinghi came out loaded for bear in their race against BMW Oracle Racing. Helmsman Ed Baird made a perfectly timed entrance into the start box from the burdened port side of the line and successfully crossed Oracle's bow to gain the starboard tack advantage. After a couple of wary circles, both boats returned to the committee end of the line with Baird leading back. Oracle skipper and helmsman Russell Coutts made a vain bid to get to weather of Alinghi only to be shut out. Sailing in a brisk 16-knot southerly right under the noses of spectators crowding North Head and the biggest spectator fleet seen to date, Baird used the right hand advantage to maintain his lead around the course.
Deltas

Mark 1 - 0:13 - Alinghi
Mark 2 - 0:08 - Alinghi
Mark 3 - 0:10 - Alinghi
Finish - 0:27 - Alinghi

Race 1:
Damiani Italia Challenge beat Luna Rossa - 1m40s
The two Italian syndicates racing in Auckland met in the first race of the day. The veteran Luna Rossa with Peter Homberg as its new helmsman sailed against the fast-rising newcomer Damiani Italia Challenge, skippered by Vasco Vascotto and steered by Francesco Bruni. A dialup after the five-minute gun stretched out for three minutes before Bruni, who had the starboard entry advantage, broke it off. Bruni chose to start to leeward of Luna Rossa and carried a little more speed over the line, allowing him to push his opponent away. A long and even 12-tack duel up the weather leg saw Bruni always with just enough edge to tack to leeward and push Holmberg back to the right. Damiani led by 11seconds at the first mark and the margin was the same at the leeward mark. Damiani broke clear on the second windward leg riding a big right shift to a 130 metre lead at the top mark and 300 metres when she took the gun.
Deltas

Mark 1 - 0:11 - Damiani Italia Challenge
Mark 2 - 0:08 - Damiani Italia Challenge
Mark 3 - 0:30 - Damiani Italia Challenge
Finish - 1:40 - Damiani Italia Challenge

Pre-Race Report 1100 hours NZ Time
Low cloud in the morning over Auckland confirmed southerly flow off the Tasman sea but the sky brightened as start time got close. Racing is on the Red Course. The forecast calls for seven to ten knots out of the south but getting weaker as the day wears on, with the danger of a northerly sea breeze fighting the southerly gradient flow as bright sunshine helps to build the sea breeze effect.

by Keith Taylor and ARL

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Louis Vuitton Pacific Series - Day 9 Race Reports and Virtual Eye

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