Light winds for the first America’s Cup Round Robin Race this morning. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli proved more slippery than American Magic which did not finish the race in the 45 minute time limit. So one point to Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. The second race was going to be the test for the new Ineos Team UK against American Magic. The winds were still fluky. The Americans mucked up their start but began to catch up at the top of the first leg when Ineos Team UK came off her foils. These boats seem to be able to foil from when the boats speed is around 18 knots in 7 knots of wind, but the smallest puff sets them off. It is all about staying on the foils. We have seen speed differences of more than 20 or more knots when one boat is in displacement mode and the other foiling. But Ineos Team UK proved far better now at getting unstuck than it was before Christmas and held on to take her third win. The strong relationship between Ben Ainslie and Giles Scott (Olympic Gold medal winner in the Finn Class 2016 Olympics) acting as tactician cannot be underestimated. You only have to listen to their conversations when racing to appreciate how valuable that partnership is to the British team. So, the scores now are Ineos Team UK three wins out of three races, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli one win out of two, and American Magic zero out of three.
Charlie Dalin continues to hold the lead in the Vendée but only by 16 miles from Louis Burton’s Bureau Vallée, with Boris Herrmann just 32 miles further back. Maître CoQ is in 6th place 135 miles off the lead and this leading group have now found the south of east winds and have speeded up as a result. Only 60 miles separate 7th, 8th and 9th placed Jean Le Cam, 266 miles back from Apivia. The weather will become calmer and more fluky as the boats get up to the Equator, providing yet another opportunity for a change in positions at the top.
Pip Hare has got a bit stuck and has only averaged 5 knots over the past 4 hours. The wind looks as if it will turn more favourable for her within the next 24 hours as a depression develops SE of the River Plate and she appears to be trying to get west of that. The rest of her group are further east and likely to get strong headwinds for a while.
Edmond de Rothschild has crossed the equator and is making 29 knots southwards in its efforts to gain the Jules Verne Trophy. She is back ahead of the record time and will be passing the Vendée leaders very shortly with a closing speed of 40+ knots.