Puig Women's America's Cup - Day 5 - The waiting game finally comes to an end
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World NZ 11 Oct 2024 11:13 PDT
12 October 2024
Artemis (SWE), Luna Rossa (ITA) and Emirates Team NZ (NZL) - Group A - Puig Women's America's Cup - October 11, 2024 © Ricardo Pinto / America's Cup
After a series of delays waiting for the wind to build to a foilable breeze, along with two races stopped after the breeze crumped out, the race management ran a very slick process to get all scheduled races complete - 15 minutes before sunset.
The day started with three races to be complete in Group A - the six teams affiliated with the six America's Cup teams. While there were the best of intentions to catch the last of the remaining night breeze, it didn't work. Race 6 of the eight need to compete the Group A qualifier had to be stopped as the wind faded and the teams returned to Port Olimpic.
They returned at 2.00pm with the intention to get racing underway by 2.10pm, with the three remaining races to be completed, followed by a change of crews and mainsail tags so the Semi-Final could get underway, and the winner take all Final to be sailed on the first day of the America's Cup.
Three AC75s were out with both INEOS Britannia and Emirates Team New Zealand having a last tune-up and check before the start of the 37th America's Cup. Also out was Luna Rossa Parda Pirelli sailing with their Youth crew as part of the handover process from helmsmen Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni.
The first two Semi-Finalists were found almost after two races were sailed with Great Britain and Italy performing as expected. However the third place went down to the last run of the fourth race.
New Zealand in fourth, trailed Switzerland by five points, and their best option was to go for a win. After falling off their foils in the pre-start and then getting a starting penalty, the Kiwi's fate seemed to be sealed, and even more so after Switzerland led on Leg 1. Going into Gate 2 on the port gate, the two made their final approach from the port side. The Swiss opted to tack around instead of gybing, but they turned too quickly and their rudder ventilated and washed out. They came off their foils and New Zealand sailed underneath and around the mark.
With the Kiwis now in second, the only way back was for the Swiss to get foiling and pass the fifth placed Italians. It was a very big ask, and once the Italians crossed the finish line the Swiss were left on equal points with the Kiwis. The was broken in favour of who had the higher place in the final race - which went the way of a very relieved Kiwi crew who progressed to the Semi-Final.
The four race Semi-finals got underway just after 5.15pm with the sun due to set two hours later.
In the first two races it was clear who the final pair were going to be - Italy and Great Britain - a result which was confirmed as the six boats finished the fourth race in the yellowing light and fading breeze.
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