Trapani day 3

America's Cup class action in Sicily - UPDATED report

Today the race organisers will be attempting to sail Flight 4 that was due to be sailed yesterday but was canned due to the lumpy conditions. We will be doing an updated second-by-second report today on the action in Trapani - if you use Internet Explorer press F5 to refresh this page.

Today's line-up:

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

There is currently a postponement on the southern course where Matches 4-6 are due to be sailed. The breeze is currently 12-18 knots on the north course, substantially less on the south course. The big matches are due in Flight 5 when Luna Rossa goes up against Alinghi and Emirates Team New Zealand tackle BMW Oracle Racing. +39 have a problem and umpire John Standley says that they have broken another boom. Fortunately they are able to plug in another and it is fortunate that the postponement allows them time to do this. +39 has not had a great 24 hours having broken a boom yesterday and then damaged their bow as they were towed in yesterday.

Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team v Emirates Team New Zealand

Emirates Team New Zealand get the upper hand in the pre-start. Mascalzone Latino have developed a problem on board. The Kiwis gain an early advantage. Mascalzone clearly have a problem and are now bearing away with their headsail dropped. Not obvious what the problem is. The Italians have now dropped all their sails. It is believed Mascalzone Latino have broken a jib track. It is unlikely they will race again today. The Kiwis are left to cruise around the course to gain their third point.

Team Shosholoza v United Internet Team Germany

Dial-up. The Germans on the right over shoot and bear away on port, while the South Africans bear away to port and gybe around. Germany is above the layline to the committee boats with a longer run in, Shosholoza have a shorter run into the line, but get a small advantage to leeward but ahead. Germany tack off to the right. Shosholoza continue. The wind has shifted right, lifting the South Africans who continuing out to the left. Shosholoza tacks back but they are losing their lead. Significant shifts up the course. Back on starboard tack heading left, the South Africans are extending once again and are now 170m ahead of the Germans who are contining on to the starboard layline. The wind has dropped to around 6 knots and shifted to the left to the Germans advantage. Both boats are heading for the mark on the starboard layline with Shosholoza 17m ahead. Shosholoza tack set round the top mark 11 seconds ahead of the United Internet, who are slow hoisting their kite. There appears to be a shift back to the right, the boats almost able to lay the leeward gate on port gybe. Team Shosholoza have snapped their spinnaker pole in two... The Germans are closing. Fortunately the wind shift has been significant enough that at present the South Africans may be able to lay the leeward gate without have to gybe. The South Africans are still fractionally ahead - they are hoisting a jib. The Germans are having trouble with their spinnaker. Both boats head for the port mark of the gate. Shosholoza are 10 seconds ahead. Both head out to the right (the top mark has been moved to the right), United Internet tacks on to starboard, Shosholoza tack, but the runner is caught around the boom. The German tack back heading for a cross but they aren't going to make it. Shosholoza still hold a 30m lead... With the wind shifted heavily to the right and both boats are now heading the left side on the favoured starboard tack. Germany tacks and Shosholoza follows, Germany tacks back, the South African continue off to the right. Both boats are now on port heading to the right side of the beat. oooh - there's another shift back to the left and the Germans are now more or less neck and neck. Shosholoza have tacked back. The Germans have pulled ahead - they appear to be sailing high. The two boats are neck and neck on port. South Africa inches ahead with slightly better pace. Both boats gybe set round the top mark, Shosholoza just 8 seconds ahead hoisting an asymmetric, the Germans hoist a symmetric kite. With the wind having shifted back to the left, they again seem able to lay the finish line. Disaster (briefly) - the South Africans have a problem with their spinnaker halyard - it may have come out of the clutch. The Germans are behind off their port quarter. The Germans heat it up and are ducking behind trying to give them dirt. The Germans have ripped their spinnaker side to side in a gust! They hoist another but now Shosholoza are 160m ahead. The Germans are pulling back again... Both boats have to gybe for the finish line. The Germans gybe 112m behind now. South Africans gybe. Thankfully okay. The Germans are giving the South Africans dirt again. South Africa win by 20 seconds! Second Act 8 point for Team Shosholoza.


BMW ORACLE Racing v K-Challenge

Approaching the line BMW Oracle simply sail across the top of K-Challenge and to weather claim the left. K-Challenge tack on the line heading off to the right. BMW Oracle follow. Both boats continue to out to the right, BMW with a 60m lead. They hit the starboard layline and approaching the weather mark the Americans are 250m ahead. This is what's known as a procession... BMW Oracle round 1:03 ahead of K-Challenge. Again both boats are able to lay the leeward gate on port gybe. BMW Oracle round the leeward gate 1:19 ahead.


Victory Challenge v Alinghi

Race gets underway at 13:10GMT Victory are over early and have to recross - immediate advantage to Alinghi. Alinghi head out to the left side of the course. Three quarters of the way up the beat Alinghi hold a 190m lead and are continuing to demonstrate their better boat speed. Alinghi round 35 seconds ahead. On the run Alinghi are continuing to lead by 180m. Alinghi round the gate and head off to the right. Victory split off to the left. Alinghi rounds the top mark for the second time 53 seconds ahead. Fairly uneventful this match. Alinghi win by 1:14.


China Team v +39 Challenge

Split tack start, then both head out to the left hoping to pick up the better pressure on the left. One quarter up the beat +39 hold a 40m advantage. After a long leg out to the left, both boats take on to port. +39 lead by 120m two thirds of the way up the beat. At the top mark Iain Percy's team are 46 seconds ahead. Both bear away set then +39 gybe across, China Team continue down the left side. +39 have a 279m lead. The right of the run appears to have paid for the Italians who three quarters of the way down the run are now 400m ahead. +39 rounded the bottom mark and have stopped. They have lost a crewman overboard. The crew was picked up by an Umpire boat who put the crewman back on board. They have a penalty as a result. In this process China Team have got ahead by around 450+m. +39 are still losing - now 600m astern. At the top mark China Team are 2:13 ahead. With a penalty to divest themselves of there seems little chance for +39. China Team get their first point on the board winning by 2:28.


Desafío Español 2007 v Luna Rossa Challenge

Luna Rossa are running rings around the Spanish in the pre-start, Spithill at the helm of the Italian boat sailing v aggressively. Heading for the line the Spanish are a boat length behind, both boats crossing by the committee boat. Both boats tack on to port, with Luna Rossa to weather. The boats cross, Luna Rossa heading out to the right with a 150m advantage. The boats cross again, this time the Italians with a 130m lead. The Italians are extending. Luna Rossa rounds ahead of the Spanish by 31 seconds. At the leeward mark round the margin is the same. Luna Rossa round the top mark for the second time 54 seconds ahead. Luna Rossa win by 1:36.


Results after four flights::

BMW Oracle Racing - 4
Alinghi - 4
Luna Rossa - 4
Emirates Team New Zealand - 3
Victory Challenge - 2
Team Shosholoza - 2
K-Challenge - 2
Desafío Español 2007 - 1
United Internet Team Germany - 1
China Team - 1
Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team - 0
+39 - 0


Flight five

Emirates Team New Zealand v BMW Oracle Racing

The first clash of the titans here. BMW Oracle Racing are hounding the Kiwis, Dickson hooking them. BMW Oracle are heading left with the smallest advantage off the line. The wind has just built. Approaching the top mark BMW Oracle have pulled out a lead of 120m. At the top mark BMW lead by 15 seconds. There is a shift to the left with a pressure build. The boats gybe and the Kiwis draw level with BMW the two boats neck and neck. Emirates Team NZ are rolling over the American team. With the shift the boats should be able to lay the gate. Exciting stuff in 20 knots of breeze. Both boats are holding their kites longer than normal. Both drop simultaneously. Emirates have the inside rounding the starboard mark of the gate and head off to the left. BMW tack and head off to the right. Still very close. The Kiwis hold a 50m lead bouncing BMW Oracle off the right again. Approaching the weather mark the boats are neck and neck, BMW Oracle having gained on the right hand side. Two thirds of the way up the beat the two boats are into a tacking duel. The boats are still neck and neck. Tack-tack-tack... BMW Oracle have pulled ahead. Emirates are going to be outside at the mark. The Kiwis round just 4 seconds ahead. This is going to be a tense run... BMW Oracle have a problem with their spinnaker pole, the Kiwis pull ahead. There has been a shift to the left. Half way down the run, Emirates are 115m ahead. BMW Oracle have closed 50m, benefitting from the shift. My God - BMW Oracle look like they are going to overtake! Just metres from the line BMW are charging in with better boat speed. But Emirates Team New Zealand cross first 3 seconds ahead. Phew...what a race.

K-Challenge v United Internet Team Germany

The wind has built still further to 18-20 knots. Half way up the beat K-Challenge are holding an 110m lead. They lead around the top mark by 25 seconds. Another processional race. Both boats round the starboard of the two gate mark, K-Challenge 49 seconds ahead. K-Challenge are continuing to extend and are 175m ahead two thirds of the way up the second beat. K-Challenge round 39 seconds ahead. The Germans mount a small come-back on the run but not enough - K-Challenge win by 20 seconds.

Team Shosholoza v Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team

Mascalzone Latino get the upper hand in the pre-start and at the top mark lead around 29 seconds ahead. Both boats bear away set. Mascalzone gybe, Shosholoza continue down the left side of the run. Shosholoza have ripped their kite 15ft up from the foot and are having hoisted a new kite. Mascalzone have pulled ahead to 400m...and building. Both boats round the right gate mark and head off to the left of the beat, the Italians still 400m ahead. Mascalzone win by 1:34.

The race committee are planning on running the final three matches in flight five...


Luna Rossa Challenge v Alinghi

Even start between the two boats. Alinghi - as always - slowly pull ahead and by the top mark gybe set 24 seconds ahead. Half way down the beat, with the shift, more of less laying the leeward gate on starboard gybe. Alinghi lead the Italian team into the left of the gate marks. The margin here is 26 seconds. Both boats head out to the right. Luna Rossa tacks over and a few seconds later Alinghi follow. Luna Rossa tack, and the two boats cross Alinghi 130m and heading out to the left. Luna Rossa have broken their outhaul and are continuing to race. Alinghi are pulling away still further. They round the top mark 1:47 ahead of Luna Rossa. Luna Rossa are pulling out.

+39 Challenge v Desafío Español 2007

On the first beat there is a shift to the left. Both boats head out to the left. There is a tacking battle out by the port layline and +39 comine out on top. Half way up Iain Percy's team are leading by 60m. +39 round ahead of Karol Jablonski's Spanish team by 16 seconds. The Spanish blow their kite up but the crew respond quickly to popping up a spare. Sailing conservatively +39 drop prematurely, the Spanish are around six boatlengths behind. The delta is around 40 seconds. +39 may have some problems on board. Meanwhile the jib halyard has broken on Desafio Espanol... They have sorted this out and rehoisted. However they have broken a second halyard.

China Team v Victory Challenge

China Team have pulled out of this race. Victory Challenge are sailing around the course on their lonesome.


Results after five flights::

Alinghi - 5
BMW Oracle Racing - 4
Emirates Team New Zealand - 4
Luna Rossa - 4
K-Challenge - 3
Victory Challenge - 3
Team Shosholoza - 2
Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team - 1
United Internet Team Germany - 1
China Team - 1

Desafío Español 2007 - 1
+39 - 0)