ETNZ: lots of waiting, little racing

The Puig Women’s America’s Cup stuttered back into action for the Group A teams in what proved to be tricky, shifty, and fluctuating conditions for the world’s best sailors, with only one race sailed after a long day on the water.

With Athena Pathway from Britain and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli from Italy looking secure in the top two spots after a dominant first day, it is shaping up to be a battle between the Emirates Team New Zealand crew of Jo Aleh, Liv Mackay, Molly Meech, and Gemma Jones, and Alinghi Red Bull Racing for the final qualification spot.

The only race of the day was a race of two halves for the Kiwis, with a strong and dominant start from Emirates Team New Zealand, extending out to over a 500m lead coming down the second leg, with Alinghi Red Bull Racing deep in the fleet. owever, the lower quarter of the course proved to be the undoing of the race, as the Swiss rode a line of pressure down and around the fleet to take the lead and the win after a shortened race that finished at the windward gate.

The result left Emirates Team New Zealand in 4th spot overall, as racing was postponed by the Race Committee, who subsequently announced that racing would continue tomorrow morning to complete the remaining three qualifying races prior to the top 6 semi-final series in the afternoon..

PUIG WOMEN'S AMERICA’S CUP RACE REPORTS

 RACE 5:

At the start, ITA nail the port end of the line followed by SUI. NZ look good coming off mid-line, GBR started late at the starboard end. NZL the early leader. SUI fall off the falls on the first tack on the left boundary.

GBR start to play the right side of the course, spotted by ITA and NZL who follow over. GBR tack at the right boundary and duck ITA as NZL survive a scare but keep foiling. At the first gate, NZL hold on and come in on the port layline but fall off the foils on the bear-away. GBR touch down at the starboard marker but keep flying followed by ITA. Both boats sailing high angles downwind.

NZL pick up breeze to the right and gybe back as GBR and ITA struggle out left and are going boundary to boundary to try and stay on the foils. ITA fall off the foils before the right boundary, GBR succeed but NZL are looking strong down the course and have built a big lead to round the leeward gate some 700 metres ahead. Then disaster for NZL as they fall of the foils on the rounding. GBR begin to eat up the NZL lead but it’s very light at the bottom of the course and out at the left boundary fall off the foils.

Bringing pressure down the course SUI get into second place and round the leeward gate ahead of GBR. Race Committee announce they are shortening the course and finishing at the next windward gate. NZL are off the foils mid-course whilst GBR fall off the foils on the final gybe into the leeward gate. SUI manage to stay on the foils and nail their first tack at the left boundary to seize the lead. Agony for NZL who have never foiled on this upwind leg.

SUI going boundary to boundary to reduce manoeuvres but fall off the foils on the next tack out right. Difficult racing but SUI get foiling again and are looking good for the race win. One final tack which ends in displacement and SUI cross to win and secure 10 points. Big win for SUI.

GBR pick up breeze in the left quadrant and have one tack to make the line but fall into displacement. No worries, they ghost across the finish line to secure 7 points. USA sail conservatively to come across the line and secure their first podium position to score 5 points.

GBR are 2nd, USA 3rd, ITA 4th, NZL 5th and FRA 6th. SUI are now on the podium with three races left to go.