Alinghi in a different class as they race to second win

THE Swiss Alinghi team put on a clinical display of match racing skill to sweep to 2-0 over the US Oracle BMW Race team in the Louis Vuitton Cup final on Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf yesterday.

In contrast, a botched spinnaker drop at the end of the first downwind leg cost Oracle BMW Racing dearly.

Having closed up to within two boatlengths on the run, the San Francisco-based team blew their chances when the spinnaker was allowed to trawl in the water, hauling the boat to a standstill and breaking the spinnaker pole in the process.

Despite the costly mistake, Oracle BMW Racing managed to keep the action fairly close, although Alinghi’s lead was never threatened for the remainder of the race.

Racing took place in 14-16 knot easterlies, with a slight chop still left on the course following nearly a week of easterly-quadrant winds over Auckland.

After a relatively quiet start, Alinghi, skippered by Russell Coutts, hit the line on starboard tack, to leeward of Oracle BMW Racing, skippered by Chris Dickson. USA-76 tacked away immediately and on each successive tack of the first beat Alinghi made gains.

Throughout the race, the Swiss crew functioned with precision, making just one mistake in their final gybe when the spinnaker guy went under the bow.

“It was a little hiccup,” said Alinghi strategist Murray Jones. “Fortunately, it happened when the pressure was not on us.”

With a comfortable lead, there was no panic as the problem was sorted and SUI-64 swept across the finish line to capture their second win of the finals. Their pattern throughout the regatta has been to capture the lead and then sail conservatively for the rest of the race and today was no different. It is a formula that has seen them lose only two races in the regatta to date.