BMW Oracle Racing and Team Origin. Picture by Jennifer Burton.
COWES WEEKHISTORY repeated itself last week when the Americans once again triumphed over the British in the highly anticipated re-enactment of the 1851 race around the Isle of Wight that spawned sailing’s greatest competition, the America’s Cup.
Wednesday’s race started off badly for the home team, Team Origin, when moments before the start they picked up a penalty for gybing too close.
With a downwind start the powerful boats, under their giant spinnakers, sailing so close they appeared to be somehow attached, carved their way down the eastern Solent, creating a magnificent spectacle.
Team Origin’s skipper and helmsman Ben Ainslie said: "We were expecting a softer race than we’ve had the previous couple of days, but from the start and for the next hour-and-a-half we were overlapped the whole way around, luffing each other."
The racing remained tight down the Solent as the boats headed towards Portsmouth and after the first gybe round the eastern side of the Island there were two major luffs.
In the second, Team Origin came out ahead but picked up a second penalty and match racing rules obliged them to carry out their 360 degree penalty turn immediately.
Meanwhile the Americans were nursing a damaged spinnaker and had to drop it, losing precious ground. Later they also managed to destroy their jockey poles.
Team Origin were able to halve their deficit as they short tacked along the south side of the Isle of Wight towards, towards St Catherine’s Point, however BMW Oracle Racing was first to crack off towards The Needles and re-extended.
Disaster struck Team Origin when their jib halyard broke, effectively ending the race at the Needles, where BMW led by nearly 2km.
After running repairs by the Brits, the Americans sportingly agreed to a second race to the finish line. They won that too, Team Origin having more sail difficulties.
Reporter: martinn@iwcpmail.co.uk