Good Sailing Conditions Return to Auckland
November 1 - Auckland, NZ
For the last couple of days, the weather
has cooperated with the postponement-plagued Round Robin Two
of the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Trials, and the Race Committee
was able to get in two full days of two races each. Conditions
have mostly featured westerlies of 15-20 knots.
Dennis Conner, who first sailed in an America's
Cup competition in 1974, made his return to competition when
he took the wheel of Stars & Stripes for its match
in Flight 8 against Mascalzone Latino. Conner, who hadn't
sailed a Louis Vuitton Cup race in three years looked like he'd
never been away, steering his team to its second victory in Round
Robin Two.
On the same race course, Oracle BMW Racing
earned its second consecutive big win with its new afterguard
configuration, (Peter Holmberg steering and Chris Dickson skippering),
squeezing by series leader Alinghi in a tight win, their second
in a row.
Tight racing between the Swiss and Silicon Valley
Photos Bob Grieser/Louis Vuitton Cup
Le Défi Aréva celebrated
its first win of the competition against OneWorld, when the Seattle
team dropped their spinnaker in the water and sailed over it.
For full coverage, and to follow the racing this weekend, see
www.louisvuittoncup.yahoo.com.
In off-the-water news, the International
Jury last night agreed with GBR Challenge's request for redress
in its Flight 5 match against Alinghi. The Jury directed the
match to be re-sailed. That rematch is coming up this afternoon.
For the complete story, see www.louisvuittoncup.yahoo.com/story831.html.
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Stars & Stripes crosses the
line to win their
match against the 'Latin Rascals'.
Dennis Conner, back at the helm of Stars
& Stripes
Another race of interest coming up today
(Saturday in New Zealand) is the match between Le Défi
and Mascalzone Latino. The winner of today's match will go on
to the Quarter-Finals. The loser will be eliminated at the end
of Round Robin Two.
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