Race day 8 is now rescheduled as Race day 9 for Monday 9 September, if the weather plays ball, and that is a big if.
Iain Murray, Race Director, briefed on the light conditions with the weather models showing a 6-9 knots southerly with a 0.5 metres easterly swell but the potential for up to 11 knots.
The thermal breezes from the south have often proven to surprise to the upside and that’s very much the hop in order for the schedule will be completed today.
LATEST NEWS UPDATE:
15:26 UK – Ineos Britannia finish top of Challenger leaderboard and get to choose who they meet in the Semi-Final on 14 September.
15:10 UK – Round Robin Series Sail-Off – Ineos Britannia v Luna Rossa
Ineos Britannia advantage at start by 70m, GBR extend to 140m and lead at gate 1 by 18secs. At gate 2 GBR lead by 29secs over ITA. GBR extend to 528m and at gate 3 GBR lead by 33 sec. At gate 4 GBR lead over ITA by 49sec.
Gate 5 GBR lead is 37secs and Ineos Britannia take a 42sec Win over Luna Rossa to top the Round Robin Series.
14:40 UK – Emirates Team NZ v NYYC American Magic
Almost a sail-over for the Kiwis. USA off foils at start and on approach to gate 5 and finish 2m 37sec behind Emirates Team NZ in Non scoring match.
14:05 UK – Ineos Britannia GBR and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli ITA will have to face a sail-off for overall winner.
13:55 UK – For second race of the day ITA have Foil problem, not able to move it . . . They are DSQ and Alinghi take Race 29 win and are into Semi-Final round.
13:52 UK – Ineos Britannia v Orient Express
Ineos Britannia lead from start to round Gate 1 with 25sec advantage then stretch to 600+m. Gate 2 GBR lead by 47sec, gate 3 GBR touch down but lead by 1m 24sec lead down to 470m. Downwind GBR small wobble but lead by 1m 4sec at gate 4.Wind very light now, FRA touchdown but recover. Gate 5 GBR lead down to 55sec but stretch to 790m to Finish with 1m 11sec Win over Orient Express.
The first two match-races will feature the two challenger teams fighting to stay in the event for the Semi-Final rounds. At present the Swiss team, Alinghi Red Bull Racing has a one point advantage over the French team Orient Express Racing.
If they finish the scheduled racing tied on points there will be a sail-off between the two teams.
Similarly if there is a tie on points for the winner of the CSS there will be a sail-off between those two teams.
American Magic Co-Helm Paul Goodison’s name is still missing from the American Magic crew list, after he was reported to be injured in an after race incident Saturday.
He is replaced by Lucas Calabrese ARG a former Olympic 470 helm.
Racing starts daily at 13:00hrs UK (14.00 CET) and will be screened live here on the America’s Cup YouTube channel.
Weather forecast Monday 9 September:
The America’s Cup website is reporting . . . Around mid-day, the wind will die out and a southerly breeze will fight to establish. Wind speeds are excepted light and shifty around 4 to 8 knots with waves of half a meter with 4 second period from the South-East. Those could make tricky conditions to stay up on foil.
Southerly 4 -8 knots, gusts SW 12 knots.
Sea state easterly 0.6m at 4sec period.
Sunny 23 deg C.
Race Day 9, Round 2 provisional race schedule for Mon 9 September:
Race 28 – Orient Express Racing FRA – 0 pt v INEOS Britannia GBR – 1 pt
Race 29 – Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli ITA – DSQ v Alinghi Red Bull Racing SUI – 1 pt
Race 30 Non scoring – Emirates Team New Zealand win v NYYC American Magic USA 0
TBC – Any races required to break tied positions for first or last place in the Challenger point scoring.
LV Challenger Standings after Day 9 Sail-off (GBR win)
