The Puig Women’s America’s Cup stuttered back into action for the Group A teams in what proved to be tricky, shifty and fluctuating conditions for the world’s best sailors, with only one race sailed after a long day on the water.
With Athena Pathway from Britain and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli from Italy looking secure in the top two spots after a dominant first day, it is shaping up to be a battle between Emirates Team New Zealand and Alinghi Red Bull Racing for the final qualification spot.
The only race of the day was a race of two halves for the Kiwis, with a strong and dominant start from Emirates Team New Zealand, extending out to over a 500m lead coming down the second leg, with Alinghi Red Bull Racing deep in the fleet. However, the lower quarter of the course proved to be the undoing of the race, as the Swiss rode a line of pressure down and around the fleet to take the lead and the win after a shortened race that finished at the windward gate. Emirates Team New Zealand finished in fifth.
The result left Emirates Team New Zealand in 4th spot overall, as racing was postponed by the Race Committee, who subsequently announced that racing would continue tomorrow morning to complete the remaining three qualifying races prior to the top 6 semi-final series in the afternoon.
