Last Race Of Round Robin One Postponed To Oct. 22

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

OCTOBER 14, 2002

LAST RACE OF ROUND ROBIN ONE POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 22

Team Prada has still to wait before seeing the end of Round Robin One.

Their last match, scheduled today against the other Italian team of Mascalzone Latino, has been postponed to Tuesday October 22, first day of Round Robin Two.

This match was originally scheduled for October 7, but was postponed by the Race Committee to the end of the first Round due to the lack of wind.

However, today was the last possible reserve day allocated for Round Robin One and this new postponement left the Race Committee with no other option than re-schedule the match between the two Italian teams to the first day of Round Robin Two, October 22.

Mascalzone Latino damaged its spinnaker pole track during the race lost this morning to GBR Challenge and asked not to race its second race scheduled for today, according to Rule 8.3 of the Race Conditions. The Race Committee accepted this request and re-scheduled the match accordingly.

The Race Committe was able to complete today the three matches from flight 6 (already postponed from October 8) that were abandoned yesterday due to the high winds gusting to 45 knots. OneWorld won over Oracle BMW Racing and GBR Challenge beat Mascalzone Latino. The match between Stars & Stripes and Le Defi was abandoned before the finish as the wind gusted over the 23 knots limit. Minutes before the Committee abandoned racing, the French broke the forestay, badly risking breaking their mast.

The French could not repair their broken forestay in time for the start of their race this afternoon and therefore forfeited the match with USA 66, thus giving one point to Team Dennis Conner.

The last match between Oracle BMW Racing USA 76 and Orn SWE 63 (postponed from October 7) was also completed, with the Americans winning over Orn.

The weather conditions on the Hauraki Gulf were rough today, with southeasterly winds gusting up to 30 knots and violent rain squalls. A low with an associated cold front is moving over Auckland. All flights were sailed over the 12.5 mile Course B instead of the 18.5 mile Course A.

Round Robin Two takes off on Tuesday, October 22. All nine competing teams proceed to the second Round. The race format will be identical to Round Robin One with four matches raced every day and each challenger racing every other competitor once. Each victory counts for one point.

TODAY'S RESULTS - every victory equals 1 point

RACE 6 - matches postponed from October 8 due to light winds

Match 1 Stars & Stripes USA 66 wins against Le Defi FRA 69 - Le Defi forfeits

Match 2 OneWorld USA 67 wins against Oracle BMW Racing USA 76 (40" lead)

Match 3 Wight Lightning GBR 70 wins against Mascalzone Latino ITA 72 (54" lead)

RACE 5 - matches postponed from October 7 due to light winds

Match 1 Oracle BMW Racing USA 76 wins against Orn SWE 63 (10'45" lead)

Match 2 Luna Rossa ITA 74 versus Mascalzone Latino ITA 72 - rescheduled to October 22

RACE COURSE

Windward leeward, 12.5 miles long; four legs total, two windward legs and two downwind legs; first and last legs are 3.25 miles, the remaining two are 3.00 miles.

WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY

Wind from SE 15-25 knots. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers and rain squalls.

CURRENT OVERALL STANDINGS OF ROUND ROBIN ONE

OneWorld Challenge.............8 pts (8 wins out of 8 races sailed*)

Alinghi Swiss Challenge........7 pts (7 wins out of 8 races sailed)

Oracle BMW Racing...............5 pts (5 wins out of 8 races sailed)

Team Dennis Conner.............4 pts (4 wins out of 8 races sailed)

GBR Challenge.........................4 pts (4 wins out of 8 races sailed)

Victory Challenge.....................3 pts (3 wins out of 8 races sailed)

Prada Challenge......................3 pts (3 wins out of 7 races sailed)

Mascalzone Latino...................1 pt (1 win out of 7 races sailed)

Le Defi Areva.............................0 pts (0 wins out of 8 races sailed)

* OneWorld will be penalised one point at the end of Round Robin Two.

Official Suppliers Prada Challenge 2003: Enervit (active nutrition). Fabianelli (pasta). Makita (power tools). Saima Avandero (transport). Sanpellegrino (mineral water and soft drinks). Technogym (fitness equipment).

Corporate Technology Partners Prada Challenge 2003:

PTC Parametric Technology Corporation (engineering design and analysis software). SGI Silicon Graphics, Inc. (computer systems).

Official Technology Partners Prada Challenge 2003:

CEI Computational Engineering International (engineering visualization software). ICEM-CFD Engineering (mesh generation software).

Service Providers Prada Challenge 2003:

Dantec Dynamics (solutions for flow measurements). Green Marine Ltd (boat building and composite technology). INSEAN The Italian Ship Model Basin (experimental fluid dynamics).

http://www.pradalunarossa.com

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