LVC Final Summary - Alinghi Triumphs

Ernesto Bertarelli’s goal of taking the America’s Cup to Europe is one step closer, after his Swiss based Alinghi Team won the Louis Vuitton Cup, dominating Larry Ellison’s Oracle BMW Racing team 5 – 1.

That is how good Alinghi is
Although the American team pushed Alinghi, winning one race, and leading at times in three others, the Oracle BMW squad was overmatched, and the final series outcome never appeared to be in doubt. “The scoreline does reflect what happened,” Oracle BMW skipper Chris Dickson conceded after the sixth race. “5 – 1 is how good Alinghi is, so well done to them.”

Lessons learned
For Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts, the opportunity to be pushed hard at times was just what his team needed, and Coutts says many lessons were learned over the six-race Final. “I knew we would be pushed hard. We knew Oracle BMW Racing would be a hard opponent particularly in the Finals, especially after the changes that they made, I knew they would be a much better boat. We have a tremendous respect for their team. We learned a lot of lessons and we’ve taken some things out of that match to improve our performance for the future.”

Big win in the first race
The Louis Vuitton Cup Final was initially postponed for a day, with strong wind and big waves buffeting the Hauraki Gulf. When racing started in moderate conditions the next day, the sailing was at first very close, and early on the first beat, Dickson had an opportunity to tack into a strong safe leeward position, but he couldn’t make it stick, and soon, a favourable windshift allowed Coutts to roll over Dickson and into a controlling position. Alinghi went on to a big win. “I was very disappointed with the result for us today,” Dickson said after the race. “It was one of those days where we had some things that didn’t go our way and Alinghi, once they were in front, did a nice job of staying in front.”

Gear breakage in race two
Race Two was much closer, with Dickson’s American team pressing hard on the first run, after Alinghi had won the first beat. But nearing the leeward mark, the spinnaker pole on USA-76 suddenly dropped very quickly, hitting the water and dragging the sail under the bow of the boat. Within a few seconds, the pole was broken, the spinnaker was shredded and wrapped around the keel, and Oracle BMW went from threatening Alinghi, to seeing the Swiss boat sail away from them up the next beat. “I think we won it because we have been a little better than Oracle BMW,” Schümann said. “It’s not a big difference but it’s still (enough for the) point.”

Oracle BMW excelled in lighter winds
The third race was held in slightly lighter breeze and flat water, and the American Oracle BMW team showed it could excel in those conditions. Dickson still couldn’t reach the first mark ahead, but he never trailed by more than 13-seconds around the first three marks and on the second run, the American team attacked. Dickson luffed Coutts hard twice, but couldn’t find any sympathy from the Umpires. A third attack was too aggressive however, and the penalty went against Dickson. USA-76 went on to pass Alinghi but Peter Holmberg, the helmsman and Dickson couldn’t get far enough ahead to offload the penalty, and went down 3 – 0 on the scoreboard. “It was a tough race, it could have gone either way all the way around,” was the assessment from Murray Jones, part of the Alinghi afterguard. “Fortunately on the second run they fouled us and that gave us an opportunity, but they still sailed very well on the last beat and it was getting pretty close for them to get their penalty in.” But the race was a moral victory for the Oracle BMW Racing team and it was clear that nothing would come easy for Alinghi the rest of the way.

Success at last for Oracle
In the fourth race the American team finally broke through to earn a win. The wind was very shifty during this contest, and there were opportunities all over the course throughout the entire race. Once again, it was Alinghi with the early lead but on the first run, Coutts and tactician Brad Butterworth allowed Dickson to gybe away. Oracle BMW found more pressure on their side of the course, and sailed right past Alinghi and into a commanding lead. Dickson sailed a cautious race the rest of the way, and went on to hand Coutts his worst loss of the Louis Vuitton Cup. “We were glad to get the point, it was very fluky conditions so I don’t know if we completely earned it but it’s like we got a bit of monkey off our back today,” Burns said after the race. “It was obviously a very fluky day…but I guess it all traded off in the end.”

Close battle in race five
With several close contests, and now finally a point on the board, the Oracle BMW Racing team came out flying in Race Five. For the first time it was Dickson who led around the first top mark in the fifth race, and indeed, Oracle BMW was leading for the first half of the contest. But on the second run, Coutts was able to charm a little bit more speed from SUI-64 and he rolled over the top of Oracle BMW. It was very close the rest of the way around, but Coutts protected his lead relentlessly en route to a 13-second win and a 4 – 1 series lead. This was the first time that Alinghi had looked to be the better boat on a downwind leg, and Schuemann was quick to pay tribute to his opposition. “I think Oracle helped us a little bit to learn how to work better and how to handle the (downwind) situations better. They did some smart sailing the way they sail their boat downwind and they gain often on us, so I think we learnt from that and we do it more or less the same way now.”

Game, set and match Alinghi
The win for Alinghi set up match point, and Coutts and his team were anxious not to let the series continue any longer than necessary. Early in the prestart, Holmberg was assessed a penalty for coming too close to the Swiss boat, and Coutts appeared to be well on his way to the win. But in the early stages of Race Six, it was Dickson who was ahead. The Oracle BMW squad reached the first two marks in the lead, and looked to be in a strong position to get far enough ahead to offload the penalty and cross the finish line before Alinghi. But inexplicably, Dickson allowed Coutts and his tactician Brad Butterworth to gain separation on the second beat and Alinghi found the wind they needed to regain the lead. Dickson and Holmberg threw everything they could at the Swiss boat in an effort to regain the lead, and on the final run, they actually passed SUI-64. The Americans knew their only hope would be to throw a penalty back onto Coutts, and nearing the finish line, they slowed to try and engage the Swiss. But Coutts and his crew held their nerve, avoided USA-76 and retook the lead just metres before the finish line, to win the Louis Vuitton Cup. “I am not sure we ever had such a significant edge,” Coutts said after the series was won. “I think perhaps in the first two races we had a little bit of speed on them but I think the rest of the racing was very, very tight…and perhaps we had a little bit of luck along the way which I am not complaining about and we are very, very happy to be where we are today.”

Simply the best...
“I think the guys sailed very well and some of the races we sailed exceptionally well, it’s just that they sailed better,” a disappointed Ellison said. “That is the best sailing team and the best sailing I have ever seen in my life...It’s just been an honour to sail against a team like this, they’re really a joy to watch. It’s no fun coming second, but certainly the best team won out there today, and they deserved to win, so congratulations to Alinghi. Great job Ernesto, Russell and Brad – fantastic.” Winning the Louis Vuitton Cup means that Russell Coutts and his Alinghi Team become the Challenger, and advance to the America’s Cup Match against Team New Zealand beginning February 15th.

Source: Louis Vuitton Cup

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