America’s Cup: Alinghi eliminated as Britannia win, Luna Rossa drama keeps American Magic alive
Thursday, 19 September 2024
All America's Cup races and coverage will be live and free on stuff.co.nz, Three and ThreeNow.
INEOS Britannia advanced to the Louis Vuitton Cup final in Barcelona after beating Switzerland’s Alinghi Red Bull Racing in their second encounter of the day.
The Swiss stayed alive after winning the first race in shifty conditions, but were no match in the second and were eliminated from the America’s Cup, losing 5-2.
In the other battle, American Magic won a close race that turned into a wind lottery, and in the second the Italians suffered a major gear failure, with that contest still active at 4-3.
Just after the halfway mark the track, which holds the rear portion mainsail, tore away from the deck, leaving the boat crippled, but with no injuries.
After a second giant-killing win over INEOS Britannia in their first encounter of the day, the Swiss had little answer in the second, and their Cup dream is over.
“Really a mixed feeling, a bit sad to not conclude the adventure, but as well very proud of all the achievements we did on the team,” said co-helmsman Maxime Bachelin.
“We started really from the bottom, like a really new team, so very, very proud of all the learnings we had, and hopefully we have another campaign next time.”
Making his second consecutive challenger final, INEOS Britannia’s skipper and Team Principal Sir Ben Ainslie had praise for their Swiss opponent.
“They did a great job, and it certainly wasn't easy. I'm really delighted for [our] team to have got through and got that final win, and now looking forward to the final,” he said.
Ainslie wouldn’t pick which team might emerge from the Luna Rossa and American Magic battle, now at 4-3 in the Italians favour.
“I don't know who's going to come through that, but whoever does, we know they're going to be a really tough competitor. For us now, it's just about getting our heads down and start focussing and preparing really hard for that final.”
American Magic’s skipper Tom Slingsby was upbeat about taking two wins over Luna Rossa.
“I do feel we're on a roll. I mean, obviously, you don't want to win a race from a breakage from the other team, but I said when we were 4-0 down that we feel we can win races,” Slingsby told Stuff.
“We've shown that we can come from behind and overtake and beat them, and we've got to keep this momentum going because momentum's huge in sailing.”
On the losing end twice, Luna Rossa co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill acknowledged the semifinal was turning into a real battle.
“That's what you want. That's the reason you do these things. It's not easy. It's a fight the whole way,” he said.
Spithill described the moment the deck track guiding the mainsail broke loose: “It feels like a bomb's going off.”
“Very loud, very violent, usually followed by a four-letter word,” he said.
“We're really going to go back and have a good look at it, but I put my farm on it. We'll be back out there tomorrow.”
Summary of the day
Race four: NYYC American Magic vs Luna Rossa Pirelli
A tight start as the pair weaved along the startline with Patriot in front, and when they crossed on the first leg it was the Americans in front and by 7sec at the first mark.
After another lead change, American Magic got back, and through the second gate just four seconds ahead. But the Italians picked up a better breeze on the right hand side and moved ahead on the second leg.
Entering gate three the halfway mark, Luna Rossa got into the marker zone first, forcing American Magic away to trail by eight seconds.
Then drama, as Luna Rossa crossed in front, there was a bang, and the mechanism controlling the mainsail broke, crippling the Italian boat, and gifting the win – and a chance to keep sailing in the race to the final – to American Magic.
Race three: INEOS Britannia vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing
After a couple of delays due to light wind, Ainslie’s British boat got a penalty for being early into the start box, but made a good start to clear the penalty and then cross narrowly ahead of Alinghi RBR.
At the first gate, the British forced the Swiss away from the gate and sailed through, leaving Alinghi to circle back and be 25sec behind, and 50sec by the halfway mark.
Despite some wobbly moments, the British maintained a lead in shifty conditions, sealed by Alinghi falling off their foils heading into the fifth gate and trailing by 1min 10 sec.
Ainslie in a radio link told Arnaud Psarofaghis they had made a great effort, and it “would be great to see you next time”.
Race Two: NYYC American Magic vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
In lighter winds, American Magic got an early lead, but Luna Rossa picked up a breeze and rounded the first mark 47sec ahead, staying up in five knots of breeze.
On the second leg the wind lottery began, as the boats sailed back and forth across the course, but made little headway until Patriot went off its foils.
Despite a double penalty for sailing outside the course, Luna Rossa kept foiling and sailed on by, but by the second gate, it was a dead heat as the pair sailed through.
The lead to Slingsby’s team was just 18 metres as they crossed, then the same slim margin to Luna Rossa at the next, with the race shortened to four legs.
At the third gate, as the boats converged, Patriot kept the Italians from getting through the gate and American Magic sailed into the final leg with Luna Rossa off its foils.
Until the same fate struck Patriot and both boats crept off their foils as the clock counted down to the 45min maximum time limit.
Just in time, Patriot got up on its foils, and sailed through to stay alive, with Luna Rossa disqualified for sailing outside the course.
Race One: Alinghi Red Bull Racing vs INEOS Britannia
The Swiss got a nose ahead off the start, but a slow tack let Sir Ben Ainslie’s crew through, with a 6sec lead at the first mark.
Alinghi RBR found itself in stronger winds, sailing in an 11-knot breeze with the British in seven, in patchy conditions, and at the next two gates, the Swiss’ lead was 1min 1sec.
The Swiss boat looked more comfortable in the light conditions, and Arnaud Psarofaghis crew kept it on the foils, but INEOS Britannia had to change markers at Gate 5 and fell off the foils.
By the finish Ainslie’s crew were 1min 23sec behind. The scoreline narrowed to 4-2 to the British, keeping the Swiss alive to sail again, but they were soon eliminated.
Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals, day four:
– Britannia 5-2 Alinghi (eliminated)
– Luna Rossa 4-3 American Magic