AmericaOne Beats Prada - Idaten Continues Undefeated

AMERICAONE BEAT LUNA ROSSA - DELTA 00:23
Luna Rossa (ITA-48) managed to get on the stern of AmericaOne (USA-49) with two minutes to go before the start.

Francesco De Angelis was trying to push Paul Cayard towards the start line but he came too close and hit AmericaOne's transom square in the middle. He had not kept clear of Cayard, who was clear ahead and as a result the umpires penalised Luna Rossa for infringing Racing Rule 12.

The collision damaged the Italian's bow and AmericaOne's scoop. Cayard won the start by eight seconds on starboard tack with Prada crossing the line on port tack at the heavily favoured committee boat end.

Straight after the start Prada also found more wind and sailed away from AmericaOne.

The Italians led by 18 seconds at the top mark. The boats looked pretty similar in speed.

It was all about finding the new breeze first. Luna Rossa managed to slowly sail away from AmericaOne on the first run and the second beat. On the second run Cayard found more wind and reduced Prada's lead to just 15 seconds on the run.

On the last beat Prada accelerated more quickly from each tack and extended its lead again to 37 seconds.

AmericaOne sailed well downwind and reduced Prada's lead again before the finish, not leaving De Angelis enough time to execute a penalty turn. While AmericaOne finished Luna Rossa was still turning near the pin end of the finish line.

Racing on the Americas Cup course was delayed for just over an hour to allow the wind to fill in. The first match featured another good start by Nippon's Peter Gilmour who led Bravo España by a large margin at the start, and held on to remain undefeated in Round Robin Three.

In a race where the pair showed equal speed all day, AmericaOne nipped Prada's Luna Rossa at the finish when the Italians reached the finish line ahead, but still with an outstanding penalty.

Abracadabra 2000 lost to America True, the Hawaiian team is really struggling for their Semi-Final berth in the Louis Vuitton Cup. The match between Young America and Stars & Stripes was postponed until Wednesday to allow Team Dennis Conner to effect repairs to damage incurred on Sunday.

Conditions were light and shifty on the Hauraki Gulf. The races featured large wind shifts and at times the wind was very patchy across the Pacific Course, varying in speed from 6-12 knots, blowing from the South.

LOUIS VUITTON CUP ROUND ROBIN THREE, RACE 5

YOUNG AUSTRALIA WON, BE HAPPY DID NOT START
Young Australia sailed the Pacific Course alone. Be hAPpy has withdrawn from the Louis Vuitton Cup.

STARS & STRIPES AND YOUNG AMERICA - RACE POSTPONED
This race has been postponed until Wednesday.

IDATEN BEAT BRAVO ESPAÑA - DELTA 01:19
Idaten's (JPN-52) Peter Gilmour has been a terror in Round Robin Three and he built on that reputation today. Gilmour capitalised when Luis Doreste on Bravo España (ESP-56) was late entering the start box and quickly gained a position of control over the Spanish boat. Gilmour worked his bow to leeward of Bravo España and forced Doreste to tack away. Idaten followed and when Spain gybed away, Gilmour hardened up for the line. Doreste was slow in the light breeze and ended up 31 seconds late for the start. The Spanish nearly gained it all back on a massive right shift, but when the wind squared again Gilmour regained the lead.

Bravo España gained on each of the first two downwind legs, but Gilmour was strong going upwind and was never really threatened.

AMERICA TRUE BEAT ABRACADABRA - DELTA 01:35
Three minutes and two tacks into this match Dawn Riley's America True (USA-51) steered by John Cutler had established the lead it would consolidate over the next two and a half hours. Abracadabra (USA-50) led into the starting box at the five-minute gun but skipper John Kolius played it conservatively, running away from his opponent. After three circles, Cutler led back to the line, taking and defending the left. They started together, on starboard with Abracadabra to weather. The Hawaiians survived in the weather berth for barely a minute and a half before tacking away. They were within a boat length for two quick tacks before America True began to ease away. Riley's San Francisco challenger extended on every leg except the second two runs.

© Scoop Media