Luna Rossa wins against Young America
Report Courtesy of Prada Press

Another victory today for Luna Rossa (ITA 45) with skipper Francesco de Angelis, this time against Young America (USA 53, skipper Ed Baird), the team from the New York Yacht Club which had won 6 races out of 6 up to this morning.

Luna Rossa, after yeasterday, had won 7 races out of 7. With today Luna Rossa's victories amount to 8.

The race scheduled for 10.50 am local time was postponed today due to the absence of wind on the race course.

Luna Rossa crossed the start line 8 seconds behind Young America and tried to reach his rival with a close tacking duel. Ed Baird, however, managed to defend the favoured side of the course rounding the first windward mark 33 seconds ahead of Luna Rossa.

Young America hoisted the gennaker, whilst on Luna Rossa went up the spinnaker. At the end of the first run Luna Rossa had gained 15 seconds on the US boat, and she gained another 5 seconds in the last beat upwind. The wind became more stable, around 11 knots, and at the mark both yachts hoisted the gennakers; after a few minutes Young America lost the sheet (in the same way as happened yesterday twice to Luna Rossa) and her speed went down for a few seconds. Luna Rossa gained the lead, but the breeze then shifted to the right and Ed Baird was ahead once again.

Almost at the end of the leg, Luna Rossa managed to gybe underneath and ahead and crossed the finish line first, 10 seconds in front of Young America.

Team Prada then sailed back home as she was on a BYE (ie not racing) in the afternoon.

Torben Grael, tactician on Luna Rossa, said today: "It was a difficult race, but we were lucky. We were a little late on the start and we waited to see if we had the opportunity to overtake our rival. And the opportunity came".

During the afternoon matches there have been a few collisions and protests: AmericaOne with Team Dennis Conner and The Spanish Challenge with Nippon.

FAST2000, AmericaOne and the Spanish, who had damage on their boats today, have asked the jury to delay the racing. The jury will make the call tonight.

The Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin One ends tomorrow if the scheduled racing is carried out regularly. Round Robin 2 starts on 6 November.

RACING RESULTS OF TODAY (today team Prada sailed only one race as per calendar).
RACE 8 - Not racing Nippon Challenge
1st match Le Defi BTT wins over FAST2000 (FAST2000 abandons the race for a failure on one of the runners)
2nd match Spanish Challenge wins over Team Dennis Conner (1 minute 8 seconds)
3rd match America True wins over Young Australia 2000 (1 minute 16 seconds)
4th match AmericaOne wins over Abracadabra 2000 (1 minute 18 seconds)
5th match Prada Challenge wins over Young America (10 seconds)

RACE 9 - Not racing Prada Challenge
1st match AmericaOne wins over Team Dennis Conner (1 minute)
2nd match America True wins over FAST2000 (FAST2000 not racing)
3rd match Young America wins over Young Australia 2000 (2 minutes 20 seconds)
4th match Nippon Challenge wins over Spanish Challenge (59 seconds)
5th match Abracadabra 2000 wins over Le Defi BTT (36 seconds)

PROVISIONAL RESULTS AFTER DAY FIVE OF ROUND ROBIN 1 (1 point per win)
8 pts - ITA 45 (Luna Rossa)
7 pts - USA 53 (Young America)
7 pts - USA 49 (AmericaOne)
5 pts - USA 51 (America True)
4 pts - USA 54 (Abracadabra 2000)*
4 pts - JPN 44 (Asura)
4 pts - ESP 47 (Bravo Espana)
3 pts - USA 55 (Stars & Stripes)
2 pts - FRA 46 (6eme Sens)*
1 pt - AUS 29 (Young Australia 2000)
0 pts - SUI 59 (be hAPpy)
*Abracadabra 2000 and Le defi BTT have already sailed 9 races. The other challengers have raced 8 regattas.

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