AC Report

Whatever one thinks of the America's Cup, it remains the sport's biggest event. We like to cover it from different angles, like our very inside AC Dope features for example. Our friend Lyn Hines files this on the water report from Tuesday's action in Valencia, and will be checking in with us as AC events unfold.

Today as we get ready to head out on the last day of the match races the result of the redress question has been denied for the Italian Team Luna Rossa. They had been sailing against Oracle when they claimed that a jury boat had interfered on the course during the start. That leaves the big four and the aspiring teams to duke it out for the middle ground.

Racing has been fairly predictable in terms of the top tier of teams but Oracle/BMW and Team New Zealand will be fighting for second place and Luna Rossa will still be in the hunt and putting on pressure but Alinghi has emerged as the winner of this, Act 4.

The most interesting racing has been in the middle field of new players like Victory Challenge and Desafio Esp. 2007. Both teams have displaced K-Challenge from her normal place in the middle ground but she was also beaten by United Internet Germany who has the oldest boat and oldest sails. On other hand the Germans have done an excellent game of cat and mouse by not really engaging in serious classical matching but rather diving into the spectator fleet when necessary. They will have new sails for Sweden and they will be really competitive if have a decent boat.

In the meantime the bottom end of the fleet is going through their teething problems as going into the last race there are four teams with three wins to their names. While China Team (Le Defi), Mascalzone, and +39. Speaking of teething problems, before the start yesterday, +39 was getting lined up for the starting line and the rudder decided it had had enough and sheared completely off.

The first couple of days the wind was somewhat variable especially on the North course where there were stray remarks about Valencia being chosen for the venue which immediately found a energetic response from the Spanish sailing media. The rest of the days the wind has been great and the South course definitely has much cleaner and constant breeze.

As we get started today on the course, the wind is light, and the most interesting match will be between Victory Challenge and Desafio Espanol.

Lyn Hines

6/22/05