Alinghi through

OneWorld win both races to take a 4-1 scoreline against Prada

Race 4 - OneWorld beats Luna Rosa - Delta 00.58

In the pre-start, both boats sailed deep into the box before dialing up. Rod Davis at the helm of Prada broke it off to lead the boats away further from the line and completed a three circle pirouette before turning back for the starting line. James Spithill steering OneWorld broke off the chase early, on the third clock-wise circle and tacked away to line up for the right hand side of the start line.

Spithill worked hard to hold the favoured right and started with great speed to windward of the Italian boat. Spithill was then able to hold his controlling position all the way to the port lay line. With a single tack first beat, OneWorld was able to sail slightly past the lay line before tacking, leaving Prada to sail in its wake and round 11-seconds behind at the first mark.

Peter Gilmour, skipper of OneWorld opted for a symmetric spinnaker on the run, whilst the Italian boat elected to set an ‘A’ sail (asymmetric spinnaker) and attacked hard from behind but were unable to make any real impression on the American lead. Prada lost out with a less than perfect gybe three quarters of the way down the run and OneWorld extended its lead to 17 seconds at the leeward mark on the shortened four leg course. On the second beat, OneWorld aggressively protected the right and its tactics paid dividends with a big right hand shift half way up the beat. Gilmour’s team was able to extend its lead to an unassailable one minute ten seconds at the final windward mark and was able to sail the final run without a close challenge.

Race 5 - OneWorld beat Luna Rosa - Delta 02.32
OneWorld leads semi-finals over Luna Rossa by 3-1*

Following the America’s Cup Arbitration Panel decision of 9th December 2002, OneWorld Challenge has had one point deducted from its score.

Peter Gilmour’s OneWorld took a commanding lead in its Semi Final with another emphatic victory over Prada by over two minutes. The call aboard the American boat was to win the right side at the start and James Spithill at the helm, duly did just that. With 30 seconds to go to the start, the boats got very close to the line and both boats tacked onto port, but OneWorld was on the vital right hand side and sailing with good speed.

As predicted by the OneWorld weather team, the wind shifted right and OneWorld took the initiative and was able to protect its side all the way up the beat. The Americans were able to make a further gain just before the windward mark, with a further right hand shift and rounded 32 seconds ahead. Downwind, Prada was not able to strike back in the breezy south west winds and suffered an unfortunate set back at the leeward mark. Prada dropped and gybed its kite in a single move and ended up having to cut the spinnaker free after it went ‘trawling’.

Problems started after the pole jammed on the mast track, followed by the spinnaker sheets going under the bow. The spinnaker was nearly totally recovered on deck, when water got into the kite and took it over the side, slowing Prada until the sail was cut free. By the time OneWorld reached the windward mark for the second time, it had extended to nearly two minutes ahead and Italian spirits were starting to drop. The wind slowly increased going into the final run, leaving no chance for Prada to fight back.