AC34: A race by definition only

San Francisco, CA (July 23, 2013) – The Webster’s dictionary defines a race to be a contest of speed. However, in the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger races, it is required to be a close contest of speed.

Today’s match between Emirates Team New Zealand against Luna Rossa Challenge (RR4, Race1) was far from close. In overcast skies and wind in the mid-teens, the Italian team finished 7:14 minutes behind the Kiwis, scoring a Did Not Finish due to a delta in excess of 5:00 minutes.

The list of problems started early for the Italians. Soon after their launch, they ran aground near their base, requiring a repair to their rudder. Then at the start, brain problems led to a horrific misjudgment of time and distance, giving the Kiwis a 16 second advantage.

This race was never close after that.

The only winners today might have been the live spectators who like the ‘sizzle’ of the AC72. With the two boats spread so far apart, there were plenty of one-boat fly-bys in this race.

Click here for video replay and VirtualEye race data.

Standings: The victory ensures that Emirates Team New Zealand will win the round robin portion (July 7-Aug 1) of the challenger series. The Kiwis have earned the right to choose whether they advance directly to the Finals or pick their opponent for the Semifinal round. The team has not yet indicated their plans. Click here for race standings.