LV America's Cup World Series - Land Rover BAR dominant on Day 1

by Richard Gladwell Sail-World.com NZL on 27 Feb 2016 Emirates Team New Zealand scored an easy win in the first race of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series, Oman.

But that was the highlight of the Kiwis' day, with Great Britain showing the fleet around the remaining two four leg races held in light winds of 4-8kts.

The wingsailed catamarans did not get onto their foils at any stage of the racing.

In the opening race, the New Zealand team looked set to pick up where they had left off in 2015, using superior course positioning to great advantage, in the first race. But they lost their mojo at the start of Race 2, and it was the British team who came away with the points lead and bragging rights at the end of the three races.

In the first race, the Kiwi team looked to have the start under control at the leeward end, being the first to put their bow down, crack the Code Zero gennaker with ten secs to go and hit target speed.

At the other end of the line skipper Peter Burling's rival in the 49er class, Nathan Outteridge (Artemis Racing), was caught with Softbank Team Japan (Dean Barker to leeward) but got away to a fast clean start.

Two boats were called out being Landrover BAR (Ben Ainslie) and Groupama Team France (Adam Minoprio, standing in for the still-injured Franck Cammas).

Artemis Racing looked to have bested the Kiwis at the first mark, reaching over the top of the Kiwis despite having to sail a greater distance. But a penalty was called on the Swedish entry at the mark, and they had to stop immediately letting the Kiwi off the leash, never to be seen again.

At Mark 2, Emirates Team NZ was over 80 metres ahead of Oracle Team USA - who led Softbank Team Japan into the mark. Both gybed too early rounding the mark very slowly but still ahead of the bunch.

The margins between Emirates Team NZ and Oracle Team USA varied between 80 and 180 metres throughout the remainder of the four-leg race.

The Kiwis potentially could only beat themselves - by getting too far ahead of the chasers and missing some pressure, but their boat speed remained high and the Kiwis win remained beyond doubt.

It was not the New Zealander's race in Race 2, with the Kiwis being hooked with a penalty well in advance of the start.

Landrover BAR took the initiative and rounded the first mark with a big margin.

Softbank Team Japan held a re-assuring second place rounding 18 secs behind the Brits, with Groupama Team France a reassuring third 57 secs in arrears.

Burling muffed the rounding at Mark 2 - rounding slowly but recovered to be fourth.

After dominating the third leg, Ainslie rounded the top mark with a partially unfurled Code Zero - but was clear away and went on to score a massive win.

Adam Minoprio hit his stirrups in the later stages of the leg closing in on Dean Barker in Softbank Team Japan, but muffed the final approach and lost their gains on the Japanese rounding 12 secs behind.

At the finish, LandRover BAR was 280 metres ahead with Japan 1 minute 30 secs back and with Groupama Team France taking third and Artemis Racing almost getting through the Kiwis for fourth. But some shrewd tactics by the Kiwis on the finish line gave them the fourth place by a narrow margin.

In Race 3, Emirates Team NZ stayed out of pre-start issues, opting for the windward end of the start line and attempted to roll the fleet on the first leg preferring clear air to the greater distance to be sailed.

The Kiwis sailed past the mark along with the rest of the fleet going right to the boundary.

Oracle Team USA broke first and sailed for the opposite boundary, holding a narrow advantage, while Team New Zealand got rolled by LandRover BAR.

As the two groups came together, it was Softbank Team Japan who snatched the lead, ahead of Oracle Team USA.

Barker did a slow speed rounding but got away with it in the lightening breeze, ahead of Oracle Team USA and with the Brits and Kiwis behind.

The breeze was so light that the lead boats initially held onto their Code Zeros (and no jib) upwind, with the exception of Oracle Team USA, who broke out theirs part way up the course - as speeds dropped to about half that of the same leg in the first race.

A tight race at the front of the fleet saw Oracle Team USA separate from Japan and Britain, gaining a small lead which allowed them to get away with a narrow cross when they came back to the fleet.

At the top mark, Oracle and LandRover BAR split with Oracle Team USA opting to tack away and rounding 14 secs back.

The lightening breeze created big holes in the final leg of the course, resulting in some big gains and losses as the placings see-sawed amongst the fleet.

Ainslie snatched a 200-metre lead which reduced as the finish line loomed and speeds returned to double digits.

Land Rover BAR took their second win of the day, sailing the course in displacement mode in just under 21 minutes.

Oracle Team USA took second with a fast finishing Artemis getting through for third.

First race winner Emirates Team New Zealand lost several places right on the finish to take sixth place.

Points table after three races:

1. Ben Ainslie and Land Rover BAR (3,1,1) 28pts,

2. Oracle Team USA (2,5,2) 24pts

3. Emirates Team NZ (1,4,6) 22 pts

4. Softbank Team Japan (5,2,5) 21 pts

5. Artemis Racing ( 4,6,3) 20pts

6. Groupama Team France ( 6,3,4) 20pts

The final three races will all be scored at double points