America's Cup- Luna Rossa - penalties prove expensive
by Luna Rossa on 7 Oct 2012
San Francisco, ACWS 45 San Francisco Fleet racing
Luna Rossa/Studio Borlenghi
Today, with only one day of racing left in the San Francisco America’s Cup World Series, the 11 teams engaged in two fleet races in 13-18 knot Westerly winds.
Iker Martinez kicked on Luna Rossa Swordfish kicked off with an excellent start in the first race. Coming up to the first mark the Italian boat was third, right behind Emirates Team New Zealand and Team Korea. In reaching the downwind gate however Swordfish forced an entry past Team Korea in the three lengths zone and when penalized for this it lost its contact with the lead group.
When Swordfish picked up speed again it was in seventh place and maintained this position until the finish line. Luna Rossa, having started in the middle of the group, was given a penalty on the first downwind leg for not having given way at the edge of the course, and was again slowed down by the umpires and obliged to close in tenth place.
In the second race Luna Rossa Piranha, in the lead group right from the start, lost its position after encountering a series of unfavorable wind shifts on the first upwind and downwind legs, at the end of which it was sixth. Helmsman Chris Draper was unable to regain positions and stayed sixth until the finish line.
Luna Rossa Swordfish, boxed in on the starting line between Energy Team and China Team on the upwind side and by Oracle Team USA Spithill on the other was forced to delay in bearing away, thus compromising a good starting position. Throughout the course Swordfish gained two positions overtaking Oracle-Coutts and China Team and closed ninth.
The last fleet race of this event, worth 40 points in case of victory, will take place tomorrow, Sunday October 7th, at 13:55. The prize giving ceremony is scheduled at 16:30 at the Race Village on Little Marina Green.
In Italy the races will be aired live on TV channel Italia Due with Italian commentary from 22.30 onwards (Italian time) and will also be available on the web site http://www.sportmediaset.mediaset.it/ and Youtube.com/americascup.
Provisional Ranking – Fleet Racing
1. J.P. Morgan BAR, 63 pt.
2. Artemis Racing White, 52 pt.
3. Emirates Team New Zealand, 47 pt.
4. ORACLE TEAM USA SPITHILL, 39 pt.
5. Artemis Racing Red, 39 pt.
6. Energy Team, 36 pt.
7. Team Korea, 33 pt.
8. ORACLE TEAM USA COUTTS, 31 pt.
9. Luna Rossa Piranha, 28 pt.
10. China Team, 19 pt.
11. Luna Rossa Swordfish, 14 pt.
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