America's Cup Race 7 – Almost a Blackwash
by Rob Kothe and the Sail-World Team on 13 Sep 2013
12/09/2013 - San Francisco (USA,CA) - 34th America’s Cup - ORACLE Team USA vs Emirates Team New Zealand, Race Day 4 ACEA / Photo Balazs Gardi
http://www.americascup.com/
America's Cup 2013. As always the wind was strengthening in the San Francisco Bay as the afternoon progressed. At Race seven start time it was 16-17 knots, with a stronger flooding tide, quite even across the course.
In the pre-start the Kiwis were to windward, it was a time on distance start. Emirates climbed over the Americans and led at the first mark. A good gybe from the Oracle team but Emirates Team New Zealand were ahead by two lengths on the first cross.
Not the best gybe the next time by Oracle, who followed their rivals into Gate 2, with delta of seven seconds. Now the Americans headed right, just 90 metres behind their rivals.
The Kiwis sailed right up towards Alcatraz getting the most relief from the incoming tide.
This was leg three, so in what has become a disturbing reality for the Larry Ellison backed Oracle team, the Kiwis were extending at the top of the upwind leg. The lead was stretching to over 250 metres and the breeze was lifting.
Tough times for the Americans pinned against the left hand side of the course. At the top of the course, a six hundred metre lead to the Kiwis.
Once again no mistakes on the water from Oracle Team USA, the mistakes were made back at the design stage.
The finish line delta was an amazing 66 seconds. Not quite a Kiwi Blackwash, the series results is 6-1.
Dean Barker Emirates Team New Zealand commented 'The first start I was half asleep, but in the second race I did not let the guys down. Very happy with the day.'
Ben Ainslie, the new Oracle tactician, 'We have to look at what we can do to make the boat go faster.'
With just three more wins needed for the Kiwis, but 10 wins needed by Oracle Team USA, the Cup seems heading for the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Races 8 and 9 on Saturday.
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