Germany ahead

After day one of the three-way AC racing in Kiel

What a great show! Today was a perfect day of sailing and a day to remember for the United Internet Team Germany in the America’s Cup. They never did so well in the Louis Vuitton Acts since they launched their challenge two years ago! And the organisers of the German Sailing Grand Prix in Kiel (Germany) did very well by running the racing so close to the shores. There were 35.000 happy spectators packed along the coast line and the fights remained very exciting from the start of each race to the finish!

BMW Oracle won the first fleet race after United Internet Team Germany dominated the early stage. As expected, the conditions were ideal at the start and the shoreline was packed with spectators. Jesper Bank had already secured a good lead at the end of the small lap in front of the crowd. But Chris Dickson had more power and came back on his heels after 10 minutes and the German boat, despite clever moves, could not stop BMW Oracle from taking the lead until the finish. Shosholoza suffered a problem with the jib right after the start and never managed to compensate this early deficit.

In the first Match Race of the day, BMW Oracle beat Shosholoza. Chris Dickson didn’t take any risk at the start and the South Africans took an early advantage. But BMW Oracle with a clear speed edge passed the colourful boat easily and finished first.

In the second United Internet Team Germany won a true ‘street fight’ with BMW Oracle. It was a great race, and the best so far in the season for the German team. Jesper Bank took a lot of risk to compensate for a slower speed and it finally paid. For tacking too close in a desperate attempt to maintain a slim lead, Bank was penalised but maintained the pressure and forced Dickson to a double mistake at the windward mark: The Americans requested an inside overlap but that was refused by the jury, then they hit the mark. This resulted in a double penalty. When they finally cleared close to the finishing line, United Internet Team Germany had already crossed the line as a winner. “Today our Opel was faster than the Lamborghini from BMW Oracle", said Jesper Bank, . "The race course has the right length to build up speed and to sail a real match race. Three penalties in one race - that’s fun”.

Another close match between Shosholoza and United Internet Team Germany took
place in the third match race. The German boat was trailing soon after the start but managed to come back to take the South Africans well pass the starboard layline. Bank rounded the mark ahead and extended the lead to 140 meters to win easily. Alex Runciman, trimmer on Shosholoza commented: "Downwind we are so slow - there´s nothing we can do”.

$But the day ended well for the South African Team. After the three match races the fleet race back into the City of Kiel started and brought an exciting photo finish, Shosholoza winning...

Once more, the German and American boats did fought for the lead after a good start. Bank managed to take Chris Dickson well over the lay line to keep his advantage. But when the two boats reached the windward mark, Shosholoza had pulled out a significant lead. Then there was a long and uncertain run to the finish. Shosholoza appeared to be a touch slower but took advantage of the battle between the two other boats to take a slim lead, until 800 yards from the finish the Virtual Eye computer animation showed the three boats on exactly the same line...

After sailing at ten knots under 600 sqm spinnakers right in the middle of a huge fleet of Optimists sailors, they finally crossed the line a few metres apart with Shosholoza half a boat length ahead of BMW Oracle racing Team and a boat length ahead of the Germans.

"We had the right side, the other two were fighting and concentrating on each other, so we had our own shown”, said Mark Sadler, Shosholoza's skipper and today’s tactician. “It’s all a bit difficult and 'new' with this boat as we did not sail it for two years. But we had great fun and a great atmosphere".

“We had really close racing today with all teams posting a win so it’s clear this is going to be a fantastic regatta,” said Chris Dickson, CEO and skipper of BMW Oracle Racing. “The run home was neck and neck for seven long miles down the Kiel fjord,” Dickson said of the final fleet race into Kiel. “We were in a continuous gybing duel keeping the crews busy and we all finished only a half-boat length apart in a spectacular finish to a great day of racing.”

Results Day 1 (Friday, 4 August)

Fleet race 1
1. USA 71 3 points
2. GER 72 (0:56 Min) 2 points
3. RSA 48 (1:45 Min) 1 point

Match races
USA 71 - RSA 48 winner USA 71 (0:40 Min) - 6 points
USA 71 - GER 72 winner GER 72 (1:29 Min) - 6 points
GER 72 - RSA 48 winner GER 72 (0:27 Min) - 6 points

Fleet race 2
1. RSA 48 - 3 points
2. USA 71 (0:04 Min) - 2 points
3. GER 72 (0:24 Min) - 1 point

Final results after five races:
1. United Internet Team Germany - 15 points
2. BMW Oracle Racing (USA) - 11 points
3. Team Shosholoza (South Africa) - 4 points