Act 10 - day 1

Updated report from Valencia

Flight 1:

Conditions: 5-8 knots at 100deg.. All a bit slow...This is not going to be a day of high drama.

Alinghi v Desafio Espanol 2007
Spanish dive way off to the LH side. As te two boats come together there is a 33m lead for the Spanish. The two boats cross - why? - Spanish heading for the right now. Spanish still ahead as the two boats tack back towards the centre of the course. Impressive - Alinghi appear to have enjoyed a lift and surprise surprise are ahead. Both boats now heading to the left. Alinghi 36m advantage. Both boats heading down the port layline, Alinghi 126m ahead. Alinghi round the top mark first 0:56 ahead. Both boats do a long gybe across to the right of the run. Leeward market Alinghi 0:47 seconds ahead. Both head off to the left. Alinghi continue to lead for the rest of this race finishing ahead by 1:52

Emirates Team New Zealand versus Unitied Internet Team Germany
Both boats start on starboard the Kiwis closer to the pin. The Germans tack away. Emirates pull out an early lead. Both boats coming together. At the cross the Kiwis are 80m ahead. Kiwis tack on top of the Germans.

Emirates Team NZ round the top mark ahead by 0:58 but have a problem with their spinnaker and have to rehoist. Emirates Team NZ choose RH leeward mark. Halyard got caught round the jumper or the forestay at the top on the drop on Emirates Team NZ. Up the rig fast action by Adam Beashel saves the day. Kiwis 1:00 ahead At the second weather mark rounding Emirates Team NZ are 1:52 ahead. No surprises Emirates scored their first victory in their boat. Germans finish 2:32 behind.

Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team v +39
Spagetthi show down. On the line +39 tack off to the right. Early lead to Mascalzone. Mascalzone are extending. Coming into second cross Mascalzone 130m ahead. +39 being creamed. Half way up the beat Mascalzone holds at 270m lead. At first leeward mark Mascalzone is 1:30 ahead. Both head out to the left. This is all looking pretty comfortable to Mascalzone who round the top mark for the second time 1:21 ahead. Onorato's men comfortably win by 1:06.

Areva (formerly K-Challenge) v Victory Challenge
Very even start. Areva down by the pin. Both boats heading off to the left. Early lead to the Swede - 40 m towards the end of their pasage out to the left. Half way up beat Victory ahead by 85m over Areva as the two boats start a tacking match half way across to the LHS. At the leeward mark is 1:04 ahead. VIctory Challenge continues to hold the advantage up the beat Rounding 0:54 ahead. Victory win by 1:01

China Team v Luna Rosa
Double dial up in pre-start. Luna Rossa choose the right hand side. Odd as there appears to be more breeze on the left. Inevitably Luna Rossa have pulled out a huge lead - 250m half way up the beat. Luna Rossa lead by 1:09 at the top mark. Both head off the LHS od the run. Luna Rossa gybe off, China Team don't follow. Down the run Luna Rossa' lead is the largest on the race course. At the leeward mark Luna Rossa are at 1:55 ahead.

Team Shosholoza v BMW Oracle Racing
Aggresive circles deep in the box aft of the committee boat - BMW put a penalty on Shosholoza, unsuccessfull attempted to gybe on the US team. Penalised for gybing too closeTommaso Chieffi is driving Shosholoza today.BMW start by the boat. Both boats head left, BMW Oracel Racing tack into from the South Africans with a small lead. Half way across to the LHS they trade a few tacks from which Shosholoza make a gain. A boatlength between them. Too close! Massive tacking battle up the middle. BMW can't shake them. Version 5 boat v Version 5 boat. Shosholoza on the left. BMW final start to gain a lead of about three boat lengths coming into the weather mark. BMW round the top mark 0:29 ahead of Shosholoza. Shosholoza follow BMW on port gybe. BMW gybe. Shosholoza follow. Shosholoza matching Oracle BMW gybe for gybe - 150m separation. BMW round LH leeward mark 29 seconds of Shosholoza who round the RH mark. Still very close up the beat. There is another, slower, tacking duel up the centre of the course. BMW Oracle round the top mark ahead by 47 seconds Shosholoza gybe off. BMW don't follow.

Conclusions - no upsets. BMW Oracle Racing took too long to shake off Shosholoza.


Flight 2:

Luna Russa v Mascalzone Latino

On the first beat Luna Rossa as expected pull out a considerable lead against their fellow countrymen. From here they are never seriously challenged. Luna Rossa win by 2:15.

United Internet v Areva (ex K Challenge)

France get a marginally better start. Heading up to the top mark Areva hold a narrow lead. Areva round the weather mark 0:16 ahead. Both boats head off to the left side of the run, still very close. Thet gybe in unison, the Germans on Areva's air. United Internet attempting to roll Areva. Areva put in a poor gybe approaching the leeward gate. Areva goes for the left hand mark. Germany trail by 0:27 rounding the opposite mark. This is the closest race at present. France are closely covering United Internet. Areva hang on to their lead at the weather but it still close the eErmans rounding 15 seconds behind. Germany gybe off early. Still very close between these two down the run, Areva just 30m ahead. This will be close. The boats are carrying out numerous gybes down the starboard layline into the finish. Areva win by 18 seconds. A good race, but Bank and his crew will be upset by this result.
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Alinghi v China Team

China Team ar over early and don't recross properly. SIgnificant lead for Alinghi straight off the start line. There is a 20 degree shift to the right up the course. Alinghi hold a 235m lead one third of the way up the beat. All over red rover. Alinghi round the weather mark 3:04 ahead. Alinghi have exceeded the magic 1km lead. In fact their lead is almost 1.5km! Alinghi win by a phenomenal 6:05 - a record?

BMW Oracle Racing v Victory Challenge

Both boat head off to the right and have a short tacking duel. BMW Oracle Racing come out on top to pull out a 70m lead. BMW Oracle round the weather mark 0:39 ahead of the Swedes. BMW Oracle look comfortable down the run, rounding the weather mark 48 seconds ahead. At the leeward BMW Oracle had extended slightly rounding 58 seconds ahead. BMW Oracle Racing win by 0:59.

Desafio Espanol v +39

+39 trying to lock the Spanish out by the boat as in the Shosholoza mark. +39 luff the Spanish into the committee boat. However +39 slow down to much and the Spanish get to weather of them. During this manoeuvre the Spanish receive a double penalty, one is red flag ie they have offload one immediately.And so +39 get an early lead. There is a shift to the right, +39 out to right but the Spanish may have picked up more breeze on the right.Slow tacking duel up the middle of the course. +39 now heading right. As the two boats come back together just short of the starboard layline, the Spanish have pulled back to neck and neck with Iain Percy's team. Both boats neckand neck approaching the weather mark. THe Spanish force +39 up to weather in a dial. +39 have dropped behind the Spanish who tack for the mark both boats down speed. +39 doesn't like tacking. Desafio round 17 seconds ahead. +39 gybe off, the Spanish take longer to respond. The breeze has gone left and the leeward gate has moved. The Spanish have pulled out a 1:06 lead. The Spanish head right to cover +39. The Spanish still have a penalty from the start to offload. Half the way up the final beat the Spanish look like they might have enough of a lead to get rid of their final penalty. Major tacking duel up the right side of the beat. The Spanish take the penalty with 800m or so prior to the weather mark. Odd to do it at this stage - not the most efficient way to do it. However Karol Jablonski at the helm of the Spanish boat must be feeling confident. Seems really unlike +39 can get back into this now. Basically +39 are slow... Desafio round the top mark for the second time by 0:32. Desafio Espanol win by 1:14

Shosholoza v Emirates Team New Zeland

More action down astern of the committee boat. The boats dial up. Shosholoza get cleaned out by Dean Barker and his crew. Amazing start by the Kiwis. Shosholoza attempt to put in a dummy tack. The Kiwis don't fall for it. Slow tacking up the middle of the course. Kiwis comfortably ahead leading around the weather mark by 0:47. Emirates TNZ head for right side of the run allowing the South Africans to take the left. Seems unlikely Shosholoza will get a look in now. At leeward mark ETNZ lead by 1:06. Barring a disaster this is all over. Emirates Team New Zealand win by 1:44.

Crew lists today:

Desafío Español 2007
Helmsman: Karol Jablonski
Strategist: Luis Doreste
Tactician: John Cutler
Navigator: Matt Wachowicz
Grinder 1: Carlo Castellano
Grinder 2: Federico Giovanelli
Grinder 3: Mauro Maiola
Grinder 4: Iñigo Losada
Traveller: Laureano Wizner
Mainsail Trimmer: Hartwell Jordan
Trimmer Spinnaker: Marcos Iglesias
Trimmer Genoa: Mikkel Rossberg
Pit 1: Diego Guigou
Pit 2: Pablo Rosano
Mast: David Vera
Mid-Bow: Pedro Más
Bow: Jaime Arbones

Alinghi
Helmsman: Ed Baird
Tactician: Brad Butterworth
Navigator: Mike Drummond
Afterguard: Jochen Schuemann
Traveller: Jordi Calafat
Runner/pit: Dean Phipps
Runner/grinder: Rodney Ardern
Mainsail Trimmer: Warwick Fleury
Main Grinder: Peter van Niekerk
Trimmer: Lorenzo Mazza
Trimmer: Simon Daubney
Grinder: Nicolas Texier
Grinder: Mark McTeigue
Mast / Pit: Mark Newbrook
Pitman: Yves Detrey
Mid-Bow: Matt Mitchell
Bow: Pieter van Nieuwenhuyzen

+39 Challenge
Iain Percy
Ian Walker
Bruno Zirilli
Andrew Simpson
Gabriele Bruni
Anthony Nossiter
Rafael Trujillo
Micael Maier
Stefano Rizzi
Christian Scherrer
Pawel Bielecki
Chris Brittle
Alejandro Colla
Massimo Galli
Piero Romeo
Corrado Rossignoli
Jacek Wisocki

China Team
Skipper / Helmsman: Pierre MAS
Tactician: Sebastien DESTREMAU
Navigator: Wearn Haw TAN
Sewer: Charles LIM YI YONG
Traveller: FEI Zhao
Runners: François CARPENTE
Mainsail Trimmer: Fred RIVET
Main Grinder: Brice JAFFUEL
Trimmer: Piotr PRZYBYSLKI
Trimmer: Sylvain BARRIELLE
Grinder: Thierry BAROT
Grinder: WANG Jue
Pitman: Xavier HUSSON
Pitmain / boat captain: Olivier VIGOUREUX
Mast: Olivier HERLEDANT
Mid-Bow: Yannick SIMON
Bow: Gilles ANDRE


Luna Rossa Challenge
Bow: Andy Fethers
Mid Bow: Max Sirena
Mast: Shannon Falcone
Pit: Simone de Mari
Port grinder: Romolo Ranieri
Starbord grinder: Andrew Taylor
Trimmer up-wind: Joe Newton
Trimmer down-wind: Tatsu Wakinaga
Grinder main: Gilberto Nobili
Trimmer main: Jonathan McKee
Traveller: Andrew Horton
Helm: James Spithill
Tactics: Charlie McKee
Runner -Strategy: Francesco de Angelis
Navigator: Michele Ivaldi
Weather: Ben Durham
Grinder runner: Magnus Augustson

Emirates Team New Zealand
Skipper / Helmsman: Dean Barker
Tactician: Terry Hutchinson
Navigator: Ian Moore
Strategist: Ray Davies
Traveller: Adam Beashel
Mainsail Trimmer: Don Cowie
Main Grinder: Winston Macfarlane
Trimmer: Andy Hemmings
Trimmer: Rob Salthouse
Grinder: Jono McBeth
Grinder: Chris McAsey
Mast: Matt Mason
Pit: Barry McKay
Runner / Pit: Tony Rae
Runner/Grind: Grant Dalton
Mid-Bow: Richard Meacham
Bow: Jeremy Lomas

United Internet Team Germany
Helmsman: Jesper Bank
Tactician: Henrik Blakskjær
Navigator: Philippe Mourniac
Afterguard: Michael Hestbæk
Traveller: Thomas Jacobsen
Runners: Fredrik Green
Mainsail Trimmer: Mike Mottl
Main Grinder: Dominik Neidhart
Trimmer: Conan Hunt
Trimmer: Matti Paschen
Grinder: Henrik Norberg
Grinder: Henning Sohn
Mast: Gerrit Bottemöller
Pit: Jan Schoepe
Mid-Bow: Tim Daase
Bow: Jean-Marie Dauris
Floater: Michael Müller

Areva Challenge
Skipper / Helsman: Peponnet, Thierry
Tactician: Col, Sebastien
Navigator: Cuzon, Jean-Francois
Traveller: Charbonnier, Nicolas
Runners: Cariou, Tanguy
Mainsail Trimmer: Briand, Benoit
Main Grinder: Turner, Jim
Trimmer: Cuningham, Herve
Trimmer: Douillard, Thierry
Grinder: Merrington, Peter
Grinder: Lemaistre, Fred
Grinder: Maillet, Yann
PitAssist: Favennec, Gilles
Pitman: Jacobsoone, Albert
Mast: Morgan, Wade
Mid-Bow: Cornwell, Matt
Bow: Couvreux, Sean

Victory Challenge
Skipper & helmsman: Magnus Holmberg
Tactician: Stefan Rahm
Strategist: Mattias Rahm
Navigator: Johan Barne
Traveller: Santiago Lange
Runner/floater: Richard Sydenham
Runner grind: Kasper Vang
Mainsail Trimmer: Henrik Walderyd
Main Grinder: Jens Dolmer
Trimmer: Lars Linger
Trimmer: Mal Parker
Grinder: Ian Weighell
Grinder: Sebastian Tenghage
Mastman: Anders Dahlsjö
Pitman: Nik Pearson
Mid-Bow: Martin Krite
Bow: Jonas Wackenhuth

Team Shosholoza
Skipper/Strategist: Mark Sadler
Helmsman: Tommaso Chieffi
Tactician: Dee Smith
Navigator: Marc Lagesse
Pit: Tim Kröger
Aft. Grinder: R.Rauscher/Paolo Cian
Runners: Ian Ainslie
Mainsail Trimmer: David Rae
Main Grinder: Camron Wills
Trimmer: Brett Jones
Trimmer: Michael Giles
Grinder: Johann Spilhaus
Grinder: Shaun Pammenter
Mast / Pit: Charles Nankin
Sewer: Solomon Diperee
Mid-Bow: Golden Mgedeza
Bow: Ken Venn

BMW ORACLE Racing
Skipper/Helmsman: Chris Dickson
Afterguard: Larry Ellison
Tactician: Bertrand Pace
Navigator: Peter Isler
Strategist/Runner: Eric Doyle
Traveller: Sean Clarkson
Aft Grind/Pit AssistRodney Daniel:
Mainsail Trimmer: Paul Westlake
Main Grinder: Joe Spooner
Trimmer: Ross Halcrow
Trimmer: Zach Hurst
Grinder: Ian Baker
Grinder: Craig Monk
Mast : David Brooke
Pit: Jamie Gale
Mid-Bow: Phil Jameson
Bow: Brad Webb