Ellison moves further ahead

News from the Moët Cup action in San Francisco PLUS Thierry Martinez photos

Picture perfect conditions welcomed the third day of the Moët Cup - warm temperatures with a sunny blue sky, a light breeze of 15 knots and flat water greeting the the 70-boat strong spectator fleet, and big crowds lining the sea wall and breakwaters along the race course.


Moët Cup – Owner-Driver Series – Race Two of Five

In the pre-start manoeuvres Ellison led Alinghi back towards the start line and was in a strong position, just to leeward of SUI-64. He luffed hard, closing the gap, and forced Bertarelli to respond. As the Alinghi boat slowed, head to wind, Ellison put his bow down and accelerated to the start line. Although both boats were late, it was the American who crossed the line first three seconds ahead.

Both skippers looked to escape the strong flood current by tacking up in the lee of Alcatraz Island. With his start line lead, Ellison was able to cover Alinghi at every turn, and although Bertarelli tried to escape by throwing in 11-tacks in the one-mile beat to the Island, the Oracle BMW Racing team didn’t let him escape. It was an incredible close show with the boats tacking within a length of the shore line.

"I think we may have scraped two or three people off the pier!" commented Chris Dickson later. "There were some big eyes and some people taking steps back. I think we went about 10-feet from the pier and then Alinghi went about 10-inches from the pier. So my suggestion for people would be, if they’re on the city front, be careful. They don’t need to come to us, we’re coming to them!"

The boats sailed past Alcatraz and then held a long tack in towards the city. Again, Ellison stayed with Bertarelli, and led him around the top mark by 36-seconds, the biggest lead to this point of the Moët Cup.

The Alinghi team couldn’t find any passing opportunities for the rest of the race, and were forced to follow USA-76 around the course. But that didn’t stop the sailors from thrilling the crowd assembled on shore, as both boats tacked in towards the shoreline. At one point, the spectators at Fort Mason could nearly step off the pier, and land on deck.

Oracle BMW Racing (USA-76) beats Alinghi (SUI-64) – Delta 0:38


Moët Cup – Pro Driver Series – Race Four of Seven

After a short postponement of the first start sequence due to a ship crossing the course, the second race of the day was held in a 15-20 knot westerly with both teams immediately engaging in the traditional dial-up. With limited passing lanes on this race course, the importance of a good start can not be overstated, and both skippers were anxious to get across the line first.

After a long time spent head-to-wind, Oracle BMW helmsman Gavin Brady broke away first, with Alinghi in close pursuit. The teams began circling downwind of the Committee Boat. As they broke for the line, Alinghi skipper Jochen Schuemann caught the American team on a close starboard-port incident, but Brady showing that their lengthy practice sessions have not been wasted, was able to tack quickly, and come out ahead and to leeward with the teams racing for the start line.

As the gun fired, the Oracle BMW crew was slightly ahead, and to leeward, and as both boats tacked, USA-76 settled into a strong controlling position, slightly ahead and upwind of SUI-64. Alinghi tried to escape, but the Oracle BMW team held cover and led into the top mark by 22-seconds.

Alinghi continued its trend of making gains downwind, and closed up on the first run, but the Swiss team never found a passing lane in this race, and fell by 40-seconds to Oracle BMW.

With the win, skipper Chris Dickson’s Oracle BMW Racing team takes a 3-1 lead in the Pro-Driver series for the Moët Cup.

Oracle BMW Racing beats Alinghi – Delta 0:40


On board Alinghi there had been several crew changes as Pieter Van Nieuwenhuyzen replaced injured bowman Bernard Labro for both races while Yan Gouniot stepped in for Warwick Fleury in Race 2. Labro suffered a broken rib during racing earlier in the week.

Oracle are now the clear leaders in the series. "It’s probably a little bit of everything," comented Alinghi trimmer Warwick Fleury when asked why this was the case. "Oracle BMW have done a great job of preparation and that just shows that yacht racing is all about preparation. I wouldn’t say that our crew changes are any part of it. We’ve been sailing with a few new people and that’s working out really well. The racing is close, and in some of the races it’s a one-way track where if you get behind, it’s very hard to get back. But we’re battling out there, and in the next couple of days I’m sure we’ll win some races."

Ernesto Bertarelli gave his view: "Losing is a good therapy. It teaches us to be stronger as a team for the future."

Special guest on board Alinghi today was trimaran skipper Loick Peyron, who is organising a new French America’s Cup challenger team with Bertrand Pace called Team France. “It’s the first time in the history of the Cup that the chairman of one team sails on board another team. Alinghi has understood that we must open up the game.”

Racing for the Moët Cup continues on Thursday afternoon, with two races scheduled, one in each of the Pro-Driver and Owner-Driver series.


Pro Regatta, 17 September
Alinghi: 0 – Oracle: 1 Delta: 40 seconds

Overall Ranking
Alinghi: 1 – Oracle: 3

Owner Driver Regatta
Alinghi: 0 – Oracle: 1

Overall Ranking
Alinghi: 0 – Oracle: 2