Tomorrow's first day of racing should be interesting on any number of fronts -- including the weather front. For the next couple days rain is predicted and it could be "blowing dogs off chains" as they say Downunder.

Our matches tomorrow: Shosholoza and then +39. First warning signal is at 12:00.

The official pairing list is available here.pdf (pdf, 21 KB)

Skippers' photo-op.

This morning's skippers' press conference will be widely reported on by better journalists than I, but suffice to say that, as usual, what went unsaid was probably more interesting than what was said.

One thing that did strike me -- the number of different nationalities among the 12 skippers:

DEN
FRA (2)
GBR
GER
ITA (2)
NZL (2)
POL
RSA
SWE

Twelve skippers from nine countries, no more than two from any one country, and no American. Moreover, the Dane sails for the German team, the German for the Swiss team, the Brit for one of the Italian teams, the Pole for the Spanish team, one of the French for the Chinese team, and, as you will know, one of the Kiwis sails for the "American" team, which has team members from 16 different countries!

By the way, I am reminded by Peter Huston to mention that "skipper" means the person in charge on the yacht, and that the skipper may or may not be the "helmsman." Chris Dickson is our skipper and helmsman; by way of example, Geoff Meek is skipper of Shosholoza, but for this regatta at least their helmsman, newly installed, is Chris Law.

Can you name the other skippers that go with the list of nationalities and the picture above? If not, you may wish to check the ACM website , which has a very good report on today's skippers' press conference.

The moderator, Richard Simmons (no, not THAT Richard Simmons) seemed to think we had changed our appendage package (we have not) and that the Kiwis had not (they have). As previously reported the Swedes have made the biggest change since the Valencia Acts -- swapping their older SWE 63 for the second of their 2003 boats, SWE 73. When asked why, Magnus Holmberg smiled slyly and said something about 73 being an even faster boat than 63 (63 went very well in VLC until they were found by the Measurers to be out of compliance with the Class Rule).

Our change in the afterguard -- Dicko on the wheel and Gavin moving from the wheel to tactician -- is also a significant change. Likewise Alinghi's change of helmsman -- Jochen Schuemann in for Peter Holmberg.

Broke our kite (gennaker) on leg 2 of today's fifth and final race of ACt 5, and that was pretty much the story of our day. We were in a strong fifth at the time, just behind Luna Rossa, and with Alinghi and ETNZ struggling back in the pack. However, by the time things got sorted we had slipped to 10th.

Meanwhile the jury, no surprise, disqualified the Swedes from the race yesterday afternoon, which they won, after they failed the post-race measurement check. Instead of scoring 12 points for that race, the Swedish team now score 0, dropping them from 1st overall to sixth.

So it all came down to a photo-finish in today's final race between Luna Rossa and Alinghi. Luna Rossa edged Alinghi, tieing the two of them for first overall on 45 points. The tie break went in favor of Luna Rossa as they finished higher than Alinghi in three of the five Act 5 races.

Full marks to Luna Rossa who, from Day One, sailed a consistently good series. I sat at dinner at last night's posh Louis Vuitton dinner with Luna Rossa skipper James Spithill (AUS). At age 25 or 26 he is already sailing his third Cup. No doubt Jimmy and his team will be a force to be reckoned with.

Good news is that we need a good hard slog among the Challengers between now and the end of the Louis Vuitton Cup if one of us is going to be good enough to beat Alinghi. Looking more and more like we are going to get every bit of that and more.

Can't wait to get back at 'em in Malmoe (SWE) for Acts 6 and 7 beginning 25 August.

For nearly five minutes during yesterday's second race, ten of the twelve yachts were all lined up together on the Virtual Eye "ahead/behind line" as they sailed up the first weather leg. No exaggeration.

Virtual Eye is the latest version of what last Cup was called Go Virtual -- the real time, computer-aninmated 3D display of the racing yachts as they go around the race course that we show on VIP boats and at the Base.

We were in "lane 2" on the left with ETNZ. At first Virtual Eye showed us in third. Then the wind shifted 5 deg to the right, and we fell to eighth. Then it oscillated back to the left and were in second; then back to the right and we were in ninth!

And after watching AC racing for 25 years, the TFE eye is pretty tuned up to judging such things, and I could not argue with what the Virtual Eye system was showing. Very cool technology, to say nothing of extremely close racing.

When all ten yachts got to the weather mark it was a sight to behold. Never seen anything like it in Cup class racing. Like a fleet of Lasers.

ETNZ forced an overalp at the weather mark, touched the mark, and were penalized. In doing their loop they fell from near the top to 10th place. Mascalzone, also one of the leaders on the approach to Mark 1, came in on port tack and had to take eight or nine transoms before finding a hole to tack into, dropping to 9th at the mark.

For today's final race you will have seen that the standings are very tight, and that it is up for grabs at least among five or six of us. And the Swedes are in the jury room as I write this Sunday morning after failing the post-race measurement check last evening and being protested by the Race Committee.

The weather forecast is carbon copy of the past two days. I won't even bother posting today's wx graphic from Chris "Sunshine" Bedford. Reminds me of San Diego where it seems they tape one forecast and use it all week.

We did a small modification to the yacht overnight (each team is permitted one "mode change" during Acts 4/5 -- a change to the yacht that does not involve reweighing or refloating the yacht such as changing the angle of the winglets on the keel bulb). Will be interesting to see how the mod works.

We are all beat, and frankly happy this is the last day. But it has been exciting, and everyone on our team -- sailing, design, shore, marketing and admin -- have learned heaps.


Speaking of sights to behold -- following the fleet in to the Port America's Cup after yesterday's second race. Count 'em.

"My goal in sailing isn't to be brilliant or flashy in individual races, just to be consistent over the long run." --Dennis Conner, three-time winner (80, 87, 88) and twice loser (83, 95) of the America's Cup.

In a word, consistency was the story yesterday on the race course (as it usually is in fleet racing), and, unfortunately, it is the story today on the weather front...



Let's hope we see every one of those ten knots, or it could be another long afternoon.

...and hot. Yesterday it hit 40 deg C (104 F), and was humid as hell -- the least comfortable day yet during these Acts. Last summer I remember it being this hot, but not this humid. And the last two evenings we have had cracking good thunderstorms like those we grew up with in the USA's Great Lakes region (Michigan). Reminds some of us of Savannah (Georgia, USA) and the '96 yachting Olympics where we learned to tolerate the heat and humidity, and violent afternoon thunderstorms.

We know full well that it is hot here in July and August, but the brochure said nothing about the humidity! This keeps up and someone in the media will start calling it "Hotlencia."

Loved the headline in yesterday's piece by Matthew Sheahan on the Yachting World website -- "Out of the Frying Pan..."

Lighter breeze today than we had the last few days of Act 4, which is probably good given all the concerns about pre-start carnage. Cooler too, but regardless how hot on shore it is quite comfortable on the water...and delightful in the late evening sitting outdoors for dinner. No wonder they don't start 'til 23:00.

Enough. To quote Bob from the 2007AC Forums -- "Let's regatta!"

Valencia, 01:00 Thursday

Tried to take the day, Thursday, off and mas o menos I did; at least managed not to post anything here.

It is better when we are racing -- the day is easier, more routine. Day off (no racing) and it becomes a meeting fest. Long meeting this afternoon with the jury, ACM and others trying to sort out yet another regatta-wide policy/procedure.

John Kolius was right, at least at the time, when he said the America's Cup is three years of meetings followed, finally, by a few weeks of racing. Now it is three years of meetings and racing. No wonder everyone involved is a very busy if not a bit stressy at this point.

Lots of pics to post later today, but after a good, long sleep.

But first, I gotta post a pic (below) someone just emailed of a well-known Cup figure, LOL. Definitely not under any stress, or maybe he is and has lost it completely? ;)

Regardless, certainly a different race committee "look" from the Newport days.

Valencia, 21:00 Monday

Another beautiful day for racing in Valencia, with the most breeze yet -- 20, maybe 21 kts up the first beat of the second race. We led K Challenge from start to finish, no dramas. The all-important second match with Luna Rossa was interesting. Dead-even, split-tack start with Luna Rossa off on port tack at the committee boat and our guys started at the buoy end on starboard tack. A minute or so after the start we tacked onto port on the "hip" (to windward and astern) of Luna Rossa. The Virtual Eye graphic display system, now working well throughout the venue and spectator boats, already was showing us ahead by a boat length.

The first leg was a display of classic match racing tactics. We bounced them to the near layline (tacking repeatedly just ahead of Luna Rossa, forcing them to tack off to the right for clear air). Then two thirds up the beat we crossed over to the right to have starboard advantage going into the top mark.

Luna Rossa, however, was only behind by 2-3 boat lengths as we began the first run. ITA 74 seems quick downwind and was able to blanket us a bit, and pulled even near the bottom of the run. Our guys spurted ahead just before the gate and were first through it. For some reason LR dropped their kite late and much of it went into the water. Also, strangely, they rounded up astern of us instead of going for the other end of the gate. In the confusion one of their spinnaker sheets, now trailing well aft of the yacht, ended up around the propeller of the umpire boat which was following the match in its normal and proper position. Luna Rossa are trying to get redress from the jury for that. A hearing has been set for tomorrow morning at 09:30, but I would rate their chances of overturning today's result as not very high.

We were quick up the second beat, and opened up an insurmountable lead for win number 9 out of the ten matches we have so far raced -- our only loss, of course, against Alinghi two days ago in a very close match.

There were no surprises in any of the other matches. The other race involving two of the "big four" was a yawner -- Alinghi led from start to finish over ETNZ.

That means Alinghi is now on 10 wins. Even if they lose tomorrow to Luna Rossa they have clinched* Act 4 since the winner of our match tomorrow with ETNZ will also be on ten points, and the tie would be broken in favor of Alinghi -- they beat both ETNZ and ourselves in our respective Act 4 matches. Whichever of us wins tomorrow will end second in Act 4 but be first among the Challengers for those relatively few (at this stage) but nonetheless important Louis Vuitton Cup ranking points for the challenger selection series in 2007.

So only one race tomorrow -- ETNZ. The forecast is more of the same -- plenty of sun and breeze. Here is tomorrow's pairing notice no. 6 (pdf, 20 KB).

Tonight I sense we are all a bit frazzled after going at it pretty hard now for eight days straight, some on our team longer than that. The prospect of completing Act 4 tomorrow, and having no sailing on both the "reserve day" (Wed) and the "off day" (Thu) is welcomed. But first, and given all the Kiwis on our team, we are very much looking forward to racing ETNZ tomorrow for the Act 4 challenger marbles.

Tonight we are hosting, here at the Base, a function for about 80 media, and it is time to go emcee the opening of that and offer a surprise happy-birthday toast to Oracle Corp VP Judy Sim.

And if I get a moment later tonight, or early tomorrow morning, I have some great pix to post from last night's block party at our Base.

*assuming, of course, nothing changes at Luna Rossa's Jury hearing this morning nothing changes.

Flight Seven
Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 74) beat China Team (CHN 69) - delta 1:22
Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 82) beat Victory Challenge (SWE 63) - delta 0:24
+39 Challenge (ITA 59) beat K-Challenge (FRA 60) - delta 0:41
BMW ORACLE Racing (USA 76) beat United Internet Team GER (GER 72) - delta 1:31
Alinghi (SUI 75) beat Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 67) - delta 1:33
Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team (ITA 77) beat Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) - delta 1:17

Flight Eight
Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 82) beat China Team (CHN 69) - delta 1:58
Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 74) beat +39 Challenge (ITA 59) - delta 2:10
K-Challenge (FRA 60) beat Victory Challenge (SWE 63) - delta 0:58
BMW ORACLE Racing (USA 76) beat Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 67) - delta 1:49
United Internet Team Germany (GER 72) beat Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) - delta 0:06
Alinghi (SUI 75) beat Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team (ITA 77) - delta 2:08

Standings
Alinghi - 8
Emirates Team New Zealand - 8
BMW ORACLE Racing - 7
Luna Rossa Challenge - 7
Desafío Español 2007 - 4
Victory Challenge - 3
+39 Challenge - 3
K-Challenge - 3
Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team - 2
United Internet Team Germany - 2
China Team - 1
Team Shosholoza - 0

Valencia, 20:30 Sunday

Today, in a word, was routine. By now we have figured out how best to get to the new Base, whether to drive, bike or walk, where to park, how to get through security, and when, where and how to perform our various tasks. Most everyone ashore and afloat goes about their jobs with a minimum of fuss and bother. Nice, professional feeling to it all.

We led both races from start to finish. The race against United Internet Team Germany was, well, routine. We did have a bit of a scare at the second weather mark after rounding and setting the kite. The German team, still coming up the weather leg on starboard tack, appeared to sail out of their way in attempt to make it look to the umpires like we (on port tack) had fouled them. There was no collision, but it was close and protest flags went up on both boats. The umpires "green-flagged" the incident, meaning no penalty to either yacht. If anyone was wrong it probably would have been GER 72 if they had left their proper course to manuever against a yacht on another leg of the course.

The pre-start in the second race was interesting. JK, Gavin, bowman Brad Webb and the other 14 members of the BMW ORACLE orchestra played the starting theme perfektly, hitting the line at the favored committee boat end just a fraction after the starting signal, and leaving ESP 67 wallowing astern in our dirty air. Race over.

The Spanish team had a tough day, also losing their first race (to Alinghi, with HM King Juan Carlos sailing as 18th crew).

Just as Chris Bedford predicted, in the second race it breezed up to the max we have seen so far this series -- to my eye about 17 kts at deck level. For the first time we saw spinnakers on the downwind legs, instead of the gennakers normally used in lighter air. The gennaker-spinnaker crossover in most tactical situations is about 16 kts.

I think most of us were cheering for Shosholoza in their race against UITG on our course this afternoon. Shosho started well and led until the last 200 meters. Then the South African team overstood the finish line (sailed too far before jibing the last time to the finish line -- in other words, they kept zigging when they should have zagged). This allowed Jesper Bank (DEN) & Co. to jibe first and inside of Shosho, and run over them just before the finish. It would have been Shosho's first win. :-(

Tomorrow we should see another 35 deg C day, and maybe even a touch more breeze. We race K-Challenge (FRA) first. They have been struggling, but FRA 60 (nee NZL 60, a TNZ Cup boat in 2000) looked better in this afternoon's fresher conditions when they beat Victory Challenge (SWE). Most viewed that as an upset, but K-Challenge could be on the upswing. I hope our guys are not looking past the K-Challenge match toward the big race we have later tomorrow against Luna Rossa.

Of course the other big match tomorrow is ETNZ vs. Alinghi, our two friends at the top of the leaderboard one point clear of us and Luna. Likely only one will be there tomorrow night, and the other tied for second with either ourselves or Luna Rossa(but, again, I should not count our K-Challenge chickens until they hatch!).

We race ETNZ in our final match scheduled on Tuesday. Wind and weather should continue to be fine through at least the middle of next week.

Pairing list for tomorrow is available here (pdf, 25 KB).

Tonight we are hosting a "block party" -- a barbecue for our neighbors on this side of the Port America's Cup: Alinghi, +39, Shosholoza and Luna Rossa. As I bang this post out up in the Base I can smell the bangers and burgers being grilled by, among others, Laurent "Lafayette" Esquier and Grant "Guthrie" Davidson, and can hear the friendly banter along with the native band that the South Africans have brought along to the party. I will snap one picture of the proceedings from up here to give you a feel for it all, and try to post more early tomorrow. Cheers!

Good neighbors.