British crew rise to challenge

THE British crew in the Louis Vuitton Cup, the challenger series for the America’s Cup, took a step up into what has been described as the ‘middle league’ the four teams likely to tussle over the valuable fourth semi finals spot when they dispatched Sweden’s Victory Challenge yesterday by a comfortable 48 seconds.

Two wins from six starts is now the GBR Challenge record, and with the expectation of one further win on Sunday against the Italians on Mascalzino Latino, hopes have risen in the British camp that they may yet land the fourth place spot after Round Robins 1 and 2.

With six wins from six starts OneWorld remains the standout performer to date after Kiwi Russell Coutts on alinghi contrived to score a significant win over Larry Ellison’s highly fancied Oracle BMW Racing yesterday.

The three big hitters to emerge with a clear edge so far are OneWorld, alinghi and Oracle BMW. For GBR’s Andy Beadsworth, his second day as starting helm saw him pitted against double gold medallist Jesper Bank, previously both a regular opponent on the Soling Olympic circuit and his training partner during the lead up to the Sydney 2000 Games.

Indeed as Bank started the initial dial up he fell into his trademark moves so familiar that Beadsworth later described them as ‘a Jesper’ and he was able to keep the Swedish boat in check throughout, ushering the Swedes across the start line two seconds early.

Victory had to restart but in what proved a very unsettled breeze shifting through up to 60 degrees at times the British crew did an excellent job of keeping a fine balance between breaking away on the wind shifts, but keeping a cover on the Swedish behind.

Racing up towards the cliffs off Tor Bay, the breeze swung more than enough to give the GBR afterguard a few heart stopping moments, but their confidence in the wind resuming normal service, was restored.

Wight Lightning led by 1 minute and two seconds at the weather mark and extended on the first downwind leg. Sweden halved that on the second round when the British were forced to consolidate. But a 48 seconds overall margin proved there is light at the end of 10 stressful days for the GBR crew.

“It was a bit of a wacky day but we just kept re evaluating what was happening and it was a balance of good match racing tactics and taking the gains as you would in fleet racing when they were available,” smiled GBR tactician Adrian Stead.

“Of course the whole yacht race is made so much easier when we started ahead, and Andy did a great job, and we made it stick.”