AMERICAONE CLINCHES POSITION IN LOUIS VUITTON CUP
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, January 12, 2000 – AmericaOne, the San Francisco-based St. Francis Yacht Club’s America’s Cup 2000 challenger, won its eighth match of the series against Nippon Challenge’s Asura (JPN 44). Today’s race determined the future of both teams, AmericaOne qualifying for the Louis Vuitton Finals and Nippon giving up their chances to continue.
Weather conditions on the race course brought a different element of racing to the Challengers as winds ranged between 16 – 20 knots with lumpy two meter seas washing over the boats’ bows. AmericaOne fought for the right side of the starting line, Nippon aggressively trying to gain the advantage by tacking below USA 61. AmericaOne broke for the pin end of the line and both boats started on starboard tack dead even and sailed towards the port lay line. Nippon tacked to leeward initially shy of the layline. JPN 44 found a lift enabling it to lay the weather mark just ahead of USA 61. The teams gybed and repeatedly crossed with USA 61 gaining distance each time. Excitement started to build quickly as JPN 44 repeatedly established, lost and reestablished an overlap from their leeward position. Repeated calls of proper course violations and protest flags were answered with green flags (indicating no foul) from the umpires. AmericaOne finally surged ahead breaking the overlap with enough room to gybe onto port and narrowly cross in front of its competition rounding the leeward mark ahead. Paul Cayard led USA 61 to the left side and allowed Peter Gilmour to tack to the right, when the boats came back together, USA 61 had gained a comfortable lead. Starting down the last leeward leg, Paul Cayard and the AmericaOne Team defended its lead for the remainder of the race and crossed the finish 17 seconds ahead of Nippon Challenge, assuring its position in the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, January 12, 2000 – AmericaOne, the San Francisco-based St. Francis Yacht Club’s America’s Cup 2000 challenger, won its eighth match of the series against Nippon Challenge’s Asura (JPN 44). Today’s race determined the future of both teams, AmericaOne qualifying for the Louis Vuitton Finals and Nippon giving up their chances to continue.
Weather conditions on the race course brought a different element of racing to the Challengers as winds ranged between 16 – 20 knots with lumpy two meter seas washing over the boats’ bows. AmericaOne fought for the right side of the starting line, Nippon aggressively trying to gain the advantage by tacking below USA 61. AmericaOne broke for the pin end of the line and both boats started on starboard tack dead even and sailed towards the port lay line. Nippon tacked to leeward initially shy of the layline. JPN 44 found a lift enabling it to lay the weather mark just ahead of USA 61. The teams gybed and repeatedly crossed with USA 61 gaining distance each time. Excitement started to build quickly as JPN 44 repeatedly established, lost and reestablished an overlap from their leeward position. Repeated calls of proper course violations and protest flags were answered with green flags (indicating no foul) from the umpires. AmericaOne finally surged ahead breaking the overlap with enough room to gybe onto port and narrowly cross in front of its competition rounding the leeward mark ahead. Paul Cayard led USA 61 to the left side and allowed Peter Gilmour to tack to the right, when the boats came back together, USA 61 had gained a comfortable lead. Starting down the last leeward leg, Paul Cayard and the AmericaOne Team defended its lead for the remainder of the race and crossed the finish 17 seconds ahead of Nippon Challenge, assuring its position in the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals.
“We’re looking forward to another tough race tomorrow,” commented AmericaOne Skipper Paul Cayard. We learn a lot from each of our competitors and believe this type of competition is good for our team and good for the sport.”
Semi-Finals
During the Semi-Finals six challengers from four nations will race each other two times. The scoreboard from the previous rounds has been cleared, the winner receiving one point per race. Only two of the six teams will remain after the next ten races. Racing is scheduled to begin at 1:15 PM local time on a full-length America’s Cup course, three laps totaling 18.55-nautical miles windward-leeward format.
Semi-Finals/Race 9 Starting Line-Up: Greg Prussia of Oroville, CA, bow; Curtis Blewett of Los Angeles, CA, mid-bow; Bill Bates of San Diego, CA, mast/sewer; Josh Belsky of Hood River, OR, pit; Jim Nicholas of San Diego, CA, grinder; Phil Trinter of Lorain, OH, grinder; Matt Welling of Bay Shore, NY, grinder; David McClintock of Portsmouth, RI, upwind trim; Carter Perrin of Houston, TX, downwind trim; Paul Cayard of Kentfield, CA, helmsman; John Kostecki of Fairfax, CA, tactician; Gavin Brady of Annapolis, MD, strategist; Terry Hutchinson of Annapolis, MD, mainsheet; Morgan Larson of Capitola, CA, traveler; Sean Clarkson of Middletown, RI, main assist and Lexi Gahagan of Wilmington, DE, navigator. The 17th crew person was Bill Koch of Osterville, MA.
Final Scores To Date:
AmericaOne / 8 points
Prada Challenge/ 6 points
Stars & Stripes / 5 points*
Nippon Challenge / 4 points
America True / 1 point
Le Defi Francais / 0.5 point
* International Jury has stripped one point from Stars & Stripes for breaching Article 19 of the Protocol.
Other Results:
Prada Challenge beat Le Defi Francais – Delta 00:09
Stars & Stripes beat America True – Delta: 00:45
AmericaOne ‘s schedule for the remainder of the Semi-Finals is as follows:
