Alinghi victorious at the UK round of iShares Cup
'iShares Cup - Cowes UK'
Ingrid Abery © Copyright
America's Cup Defenders Alinghi opened today in front, but it was another America's Cup team, the third placed BMW ORACLE Racing skippered by James Spithill, which got things off to a flying start today by taking the first four race wins - was the scoreboard set for another shake up?
Alinghi's day got off to a slow start in race one when they found themselves without a clear lane on the approach to the committee boat end of the start line. Then the leading team were back in the pack on the first lap of races two and three - getting stuck in a slow tack on the approach to the first mark in race two, and eventually rounding back in 9th position. But they kept a cool head to pick off several boats downwind in each race, scoring consistent fourth, fifth and sixth places to keep their nose in front overall.
As expected TEAMORIGIN were putting in a spirited fight, splitting to the opposite sides of the racecourse to their Alinghi rivals and scoring a string of second and third places to take second overall and eat away at Alinghi's lead - at one point there were just four points in it.
Elsewhere in the fleet iShares has a terrific second race to finish fourth, while Oman Sail got a great start to race three, rounding the first buoy alongside eventual winners BMW ORACLE Racing Spithill. But the two teams each struggled in the last with gear failure - both Oman Sail and iShares doggedly completing much of the last race of the regatta without a working jib. Holmatro were also consistently near the front of the fleet, scoring three third places today to eventually finish in third overall.
Alinghi came back strongly in the penultimate race - taking a brave port tack approach to the start line they led the race from start to finish, extending their advantage on the leaderboard.
Going into the final race there were seven points in it - and with double scores available TEAMORIGIN could still get in front. Alinghi went for a port tack start, while TEAMORIGIN hit the line at speed. Umpire Bill Edgington was watching: 'BMW ORACLE Racing Cammas was coming in on starboard, while Alinghi and Oman sail were on port - and the team on BMW ORACLE Racing went for the full hands in the air, flag waving protest to try and get Alinghi penalised. We gave them a green flag [no penalty], but it was a great illustration of just how hard the teams are racing.' 
In the clear, Alinghi chased TEAMORIGIN's tail right around the course, but while TEAMORIGIN held on to win it was Alinghi who had done enough to take the event overall.
'We're thrilled,' said skipper Ed Baird on the dock after racing. 'These kind of conditions were a bit beyond what we've experienced before and so we've been learning in every race trying to figure it out, it was pretty hairy! All the teams were having their moments where they had a little trouble, but these guys did great and I'm really excited that we were able to hang in there and get the points we needed.
'It's been a tough series. It's been a lot of fun - and it's a lot more fun when you come out in front - but we really learned a lot today. We were definitely taking it easy, trying to be as conservative as we could.'
The windward mark took two more scalps today, with JPMorgan Asset Management first to come to grief in race two. Skippered by Paul Campbell-James for the day, the team were right on the pace in the leading pack when they capsized dramatically during the bear away, the boat rapidly inverting and breaking the rig. On the next round of the second lap it was Franck Cammas's turn to flip, turning over BMW ORACLE Racing - for the second time in this regatta - at the bear away. This time the crew were able to quickly right the boat and rejoin the day's racing.
'We created the iShares Cup to be something different and the 'crash and burn' racing we've seen is exactly the kind of product we hoped for!' said Event Director Gilles Chiorri of the action-packed UK regatta. 'It's designed to deliver exciting and action-packed racing to the public and take close-quarter sailing to another level. There is a very efficient pit-lane so all the boats that want to race are out there the next day, it's part of the game. The sailors who race these boats love it exactly because it is so close and exciting, and they are more then well equipped to cope with the drama.
'The iShares Cup has attracted a whole new audience enthralled by the entertainment and intense competition the Extreme 40 fleet can deliver time and time again. The thrills and spills of this kind of racing have grabbed the attention of everyone following the iShares Cup at Skandia Cowes Week - long may it continue!'
In the five-stage iShares Cup Sailing Series, TEAMORIGIN are just one point ahead overall from Alinghi, with Holmatro - who took third at the UK event - up to third overall. The next - and penultimate - event of the iShares Cup takes place at Kiel in Germany, from August 29th-31st.
iShares Cup website: click here
by Event media 
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