Costly damage

Puts an end to two matches during Louis Vuitton Cup

The unusual race - Le Defi v Stars & Stripes

The last day of racing for Round Robin One held more than its fair share of unpleasant surprises for the French team. Leading Stars and Stripes for the first half of the course, the French team looked set to contest the last point of RRI, but when disaster struck close to the third mark, it was all over for FRA 69.

After a disappointing loss on Saturday against the other ‘underdog’ syndicate - Mascalzone Latino – morale in the French camp was surprisingly upbeat as they headed out into a stormy Gulf first thing this morning. The French team were conscious that today was their last chance in this Round Robin to put a point on the board.

At 10.30am, Stars and Stripes (USA 66) requested a delay in racing, ostensibly to change their mainsail, and the shortened course of only two rounds began over an hour later. Frustratingly, the GPS transmitter on the French boat malfunctioned, so there was no live coverage of the match on either TVNZ or Virtual Spectator until the penultimate leg of the regatta.

Chase boats advised that LE DEFI AREVA took the left side of course Romeo from the dial-up, with only a small advantage leading into the first windward leg. FRA 69 forced USA 66 to tack about one-third of the way up the course, and as the wind turned to the left, the French team took a slight but growing advantage over their neighbours from the Viaduct Basin.

Nearing the first windward mark, FRA 69 had an unofficial four boat lengths on Dennis Conner’s Stars Stripes and rounding the buoy, the French were clocked as having an official 31 second lead on the American boat.

Leading down the first leeward leg, the French maintained their poise, even as USA 66 gained ground to within one boat length. USA 66 soon overtook the French team who were having problems lowering their spinnaker and raising the genoa. LE DEFI AREVA had dropped to 23 seconds at the second mark behind Stars and Stripes.

Heading back up to the third mark in rising winds, FRA 69 chased USA 66 with only two to three boat lengths between them. But nearing the buoy, disaster struck. Tacking into the squall, the forestay on FRA 69 snapped under pressure, ripping the genoa and tearing the hood off the right hand winch. The French crew lept quickly into action, immediately bearing away to ease huge tension on the mast and physically cutting the genoa from the forestay, thus avoiding injury as well as the imminent danger of the mast snapping into pieces.

The crisis successfully managed, LE DEFI AREVA was resigned to another ‘DID NOT FINISH’ when the race was officially abandoned because of high winds which had been gusting over 23 knots. It looked as though someone, somewhere was at last smiling on the French team.

Mais hélas, non. The race committee announced a restart between Stars and Stripes and FRA 69 this afternoon, weather permitting. At 1.35pm, the French requested a 45 minute delay but when winds dropped contrarily to 17 knots, LE DEFI AREVA - in no shape to race again today – was considered a ‘DID NOT START’ and relinquished a final point to Dennis Conner.

"What can I say?", queries skipper and helmsman, Luc Pillot. "It was the hardest day yet, but the team reacted very well under crisis. When the forestay snapped, they secured the mast quickly and prevented any further damage or injury. They were professionals right to the bitter end."