Trapani - day 2

Flight three and four of the America's Cup Act 8 match racing - UPDATED REPORT

Once again we're going to be following the racing live, blow by blow, as it unfolds today. If you press F5 while in Internet Explorer this page will automatically update.

If the wind plays ball as it is expected to racing will start at 12:40 (10:40GMT) with first . start gun going at 12:30. Today's schedule is as follows:

Flight 3
Match 1	United Internet Team Germany	v	Emirates Team New Zealand
Match 2	Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team	v	BMW ORACLE Racing
Match 3	Team Shosholoza	v	K-Challenge
Match 4	Alinghi	v	+39 Challenge
Match 5	Victory Challenge	v	Luna Rossa Challenge
Match 6	Desafío Español 2007	v	China Team
Flight 4
Match 1	Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team	v	Emirates Team New Zealand
Match 2	Team Shosholoza	v	United Internet Team Germany
Match 3	BMW ORACLE Racing	v	K-Challenge
Match 4	Victory Challenge	v	Alinghi
Match 5	China Team	v	+39 Challenge
Match 6	Desafío Español 2007	v	Luna Rossa Challenge

The forecast (hurrah!) is for more breeze today (14-18 knots) - to start with at least - and there is a very lumpy swell running. However conditions are still gusty. On the race course there is intermittent rain.

Emirates Team New Zealand apparently have some problems and haven't left the dock yet.

Matches 1-3 take place on the northern course, 4-6 on the southern.

Racing on the north course has been postponed.

Alinghi v +39 Challenge

Both boats go into a dial up. +39 fall off on starboard, allowing Alinghi to get the right in the pre-start. +39 chases Alinghi deep into the right side of the box. Both boats start their timed runs into the line, +39 to leeward. Both boats hit the line on time, but not at speed. It is thought that the left may pay up the beat. Both boats head to the left, Alinghi to weather. Alinghi is inching ahead, pointing fractionally higher. +39 tack, Alinghi respond keeping +39 in their dirty air. +39 tack back, Alinghi continue right.
Two thirds of the way up the beat Alinghi hold a 161m advantage. Alinghi lead around the top mark - big seas, lots of spray and excitment... - 50 seconds ahead. +39 appear to have a problem and haven't hoisted their kite. A problem with the halyard? Alinghi are charging away. +39 get their kite set a quarter of the way down the run. All over? Alinghi round the LH gate mark. +39 head for the same mark, rounding 1:42 later. Both boats heading out to the right. Alinghi tack back to the left and from here the two boats take very different strategies - +39 continuing on the right. They aren't gaining - still 589m astern. Alinghi lead around the top mark by 2:18. +39 are not looking that flash on the run. +39 nearly broaches during a gybe and the spinnaker is still wrapped around the forestay. The boats are catching the edge of a squall. +39 limp across the line 2:51 after Alinghi.

Victory Challenge v Luna Rossa Challenge

Another dial-up. As with Alinghi, so Victory Challenge have managed to fall off on port and have ducked under Luna Rossa to get the right. Luna Rossa chase Victory into the bottom RHS of the box. Both boats circle in different directions to head back towards the line. Luna Rossa is on the right, closer to the boat. The Swede are attempting to lay the pin. Swedes unable to lay the pin and tack. Luna Rossa first over crossing ahead of the Swedes. Luna Rossa extend until they head out to the right on port. They tack back. The two boats head up the centre of the course, the Italians matching the Swedes tack for tack, 94m ahead. Luna Rossa trucks down the port layline followed by Victory Challenge 37 seconds later. Very lively rounding the bowman frequently being dunked. Half way down the run, Luna Rossa hold a 170m advantage. With the breeze up everyone is using symmetric kites. Half way down run Victory gybe. Luna Rossa don't respond for some time. Both gybe back, 130m apart. Luna Rossa heading for the LH mark of the gate (from the run), Victory Challenge follow rounding 29 seconds later. Luna Rossa continue right, Victory Challenge tack back to the left. Luna Rossa round the top mark 1 minute ahead. Everyone sailing gingerly. Luna Rossa have extended greatly on the run - 2/3s of the way down they are 570m ahead and finish with a delta of 1:33.

Desafío Español 2007 v China Team

Dial up ahead of the line. Spain falls off on port. Jablonski at the helm of Desafio heads off towards the committe boat, China Team follows, the Spanish gybe round and put the Chinese into another dial up. Chinese head off in front of the committee boat. Desafio drive astern of the committee boat. Both boats now heading back into the box, Desafio to leeward hounding them, and keeping them over the line. China have a problem with their forestay? Spain dive back into the RH side of the box and head for the line at speed. They cross close to the boat, the Chinese later down by the pin, both boats heading left. Both boats are continuing straight out to the port layline the Spanish 85m ahead one third of the way up the course. The wind has shifted slightly right. Three quarters of the way up the beat, heading up the port lay line - in fact over the port lay line - Desafio holds a 125m lead. Spain round 36 seconds ahead of the Chinese. At the bottom gate both round the starboard mark and head out to the left. China have problems - perhaps with the runner? The Chinese have bailed from the race.

The other three matches on the 'north' course (in fact alongside the 'south' course today) are due to start at 14:20 local time.

United Internet Team Germany v Emirates Team New Zealand

Finally we're racing... Team NZ chase the Germans deep into the RH side of the box. Team holding the leeward position. Both boats return, Bank attempting to shake the Kiwis by passing ahead of the committee boat. They return in the RH side of the box. The Germans are on the layline for the committee boat, Team NZ behind, Germans bear away to try and lose speed. Both boats head off down the line on starboard. Team NZ pass over the line just ahead, to weather. Both boats heading out to the left. Emirates are slowly inching ahead. Team NZ tack before the layline, the Germans continue on to the layline. The Kiwis hold a 90m advantage but will have to put in a couple more tacks. Both overstand, Emirates Team NZ rounding 42 seconds ahead. Half way round the run the Germans are 240m astern. The Kiwis round the bottom mark 45 seconds ahead.

Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team v BMW Oracle Racing

The Italians chase BMW Oracle deep into the RH side of the box. Not too much engagement going on here. Mascalzone are on the layline to the pin, BMW to the boat. Both boats trying to shed speed. Both hit the line at speed on starboard both in the middle of the line, the Italians closer to the pin. Like the race ahead of them, both head out to the left. BMW are struggling to pull out any advantage on the Italians. One third of the way Mascalzone tack pushing BMW off to the right. BMW leading by 70m. At the top mark BMW Oracle lead by 49 seconds. 3/4 the way down the run, BMW Oracle lead by 170m. BMW Oracle round 40 second ahead. Up the beat the Americans extend rounding 1:31 ahead. BMW Oracle may have broken their spinnaker pole but this doesn't seem to be an issue. BMW Oracle win comfortably by 1:53

Team Shosholoza v K-Challenge

Remarkably Team Shosholoza have put a penalty on K-Challenge for gybing too close to the South Africans. Team Shosholza are to weather, while K-Challenge are aiming for the pin. Team Shosholoza are heading to the right (the first to do so in this trio of matches), while K-Challenge are continuing to the left. South Africans cross ahead of K-Challenge. K-Challenge have suffered a problem with their headsail. The forestay may have broken? Carnage on the foredeck... One in the net for the South Africans - provided they can cruise around the course in one piece.

Flight 4 has been canned for today.


Pointscore after three flights:

Alinghi - 3
Luna Rossa - 3
BMW Oracle -3
Emirates Team New Zealand -2
Victory Challenge - 2
K-Challenge - 2
United Internet Team German - 1
Desafio Espanol 2007 - 1
Team Shosholoza - 1
+39 - 0
Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team - 0
CHN 69 - 0