Field closes up
at Louis Vuitton Trophy La Maddalena
By the Louis Vuitton Trophy Media Team. |
| May 29, 2010. |
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| Just one point separates the top five boats at the Louis Vuitton Trophy La Maddalena after an eventful program of five races sailed today in fresh breezes. |
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Louis Vuitton Trophy, La Maddalena, Italy. Race Day 7. BMW
ORACLE Racing (USA) verses Synergy Russian Sailing Team (RUS).
Photo © Bob Grieser outsideimages.co.nz /
Louis Vuitton Trophy.
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Russia’s SYNERGY Racing Team and the Swedish team Artemis share the top of the point’s table, each with five points. Emirates Team New Zealand, Britain’s TEAMORIGIN and the French / German team All4One are all equal third on four points.
With two days’ competition remaining in the round robin, the pressure began to tell in strong winds this afternoon. Sweden’s Artemis broke a gennaker pole and shredded a gennaker, while on Emirates Team New Zealand, a jib began to self-destruct. As a result, both top teams lost their respective races. |
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Louis Vuitton Trophy, La Maddalena, Italy. Race Day 8. Azzurra (ITA) verses
Artemis (SWE).
Photo © Paul Todd outsideimages.co.nz /
Louis Vuitton Trophy.
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| The Artemis breakdown was self-inflicted. The Swedish boat skippered by Paul Cayard was pushing to overtake the Russian boat when the pole went overboard, triggering a sequence that saw it trip and explode into pieces, before dragging the sail under the boat. Artemis then retired. On the Team New Zealand boat racing All4One, the hapless Kiwis could only watch as the head of their jib began to split in 20 knot winds. |
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Louis Vuitton Trophy, La Maddalena, Italy. Race Day 8. Synergy (RUS) verses
Artemis (SWE). The Artemis genaker pole goes overboard during the takedown,
breaks and drags the genaker under the boat.
Photo © Paul Todd outsideimages.co.nz /
Louis Vuitton Trophy.
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The Kiwis had more success off the water, at least temporarily when the Race Committee gave them a reprieve by ordering a resail of their race yesterday against BMW Oracle Racing. In another twist, the Jury tonight will hear an appeal by Oracle against the resail decision.
The dispute hinges on a safety order issued yesterday telling teams to maintain tension on forestays during spinnaker runs. After an umpires’ protest and a jury decision denied Team New Zealand any chance of a win in their match against Oracle, the organisers relented today, withdrew the safety order and ordered the resail. |
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Louis Vuitton Trophy, La Maddalena, Italy. Race Day 8. Emirates
Team New Zealand.
Photo © Paul Todd outsideimages.co.nz /
Louis Vuitton Trophy.
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Flight
17, Race 2: TEAMORIGIN defeats Luna Rossa by
00:37.
They started at speed on starboard with Britain’s TEAMORIGIN bow-out in the leeward berth. Ed Baird steering Luna Rossa was forced away early on port as Ben Ainslie on ORIGIN sailed into more pressure and continued to pull ahead. |
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Louis Vuitton Trophy, La Maddalena, Italy. Race Day 8. TeamOrigin (GBR)
verses Luna Rossa (ITA).
Photo © Paul Todd outsideimages.co.nz /
Louis Vuitton Trophy.
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Flight
6, Race 2: Azzurra defeats SYNERGY Russian
Sailing Team by 00:15.
Italy’s Francesco Bruni pulled off a breathtakingly close port cross on the first leg to defeat SYNERGY Russian Sailing Team. On the second beat, there were 17 punishing tacks up the 1.2-mile leg. But Synergy skipper Karol Jablonski, on the right, could never gain enough ground to get past Bruni. |
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Louis Vuitton Trophy, La Maddalena, Italy. Race Day 8. Azzurra (ITA) verses
Synergy (RUS).
Photo © Paul Todd outsideimages.co.nz /
Louis Vuitton Trophy.
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Flight
23, Race 1: Artemis defeats Azzurra by
00:15.
Saddled with a penalty in the pre-start Francesco Bruni and his Italian Azzurra team stayed on the attack and took the fight to the Swedish team Artemis around all four legs as the lead changed multiple times. However the Italians’ were trailing Terry Hutchinson and Artemis by 100 metres at the finish and they were still carrying the penalty. |
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Louis Vuitton Trophy, La Maddalena, Italy. Race Day 8. Azzurra (ITA) verses
Artemis (SWE).
Photo © Paul Todd outsideimages.co.nz /
Louis Vuitton Trophy.
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Flight
18, Race 1: SYNERGY Russian Sailing Team defeats Artemis,
retired.
A spinnaker pole overboard at the end of the second run dragged Artemis to oblivion, breaking the pole and shredding the Swedish boat’s spinnaker. |
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Louis Vuitton Trophy, La Maddalena, Italy. Race Day 8. The Artemis genaker
pole goes overboard during the takedown, breaks and drags the genaker
under the boat.
Photo © Paul Todd outsideimages.co.nz /
Louis Vuitton Trophy.
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Flight
20, Race 2: All4One defeats Emirates Team
New Zealand by 00:21.
The French / German boat started ahead in the middle of the line on starboard, just ahead of the Kiwis on their weather hip. All4One helmsman Sébastien Col gradually inched ahead and his lead increased as the jib on Emirates Team New Zealand began to self-destruct. |
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Louis Vuitton Trophy, La Maddalena, Italy. Race Day 8. Emirates
Team New Zealand verses ALL4ONE (FRA).
Photo © Paul Todd outsideimages.co.nz /
Louis Vuitton Trophy.
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Provisional win-loss leaderboard after Saturday racing:
1. Synergy Russian Sailing Team, 5-4, 5 points.
1. Artemis, 5-2, 5 points.
3. Emirates Team New Zealand, 4-2, 4 points.
3. TEAMORIGIN, 4-3, 4 points.
3. All4One, 4-3, 4 points.
6. Azzurra, 3-4, 3 points.
6. Mascalzone Latino Audi Team, 4-1, 3 points*.
8. Luna Rossa, 2-6, 2 points.
9. BMW Oracle Racing Team, 1-5, 1 point.
10. ALEPH Sailing Team, 2-4, -2 points*.
* Penalties deducted by Jury / Umpires |
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Louis Vuitton Trophy, La Maddalena, Italy. Race Day 7. BMW
ORACLE Racing (USA) verses Synergy Russian
Sailing Team (RUS).
Photo © Bob Grieser outsideimages.co.nz /
Louis Vuitton Trophy.
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| Live streaming web coverage of the Louis Vuitton Trophy La Maddalena is available on the event website, http://www.louisvuittontrophy.com. The official site (in English, French, Italian and Russian) is also rich in team content, as well as features, audio, video and images. Racing starts at 0900 local time (GMT+2). |
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| Outimage and Louis Vuitton Trophy © 2010 |
