RBYAC: Portugal wins 3rd race; Sweden, 4th!

Overall the Swedish youth team at America's Cup is tied with three for 4th 

  • America's Cup Village on Marina Green. ACEA/Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

  • RBYAC: Portugal wins 3rd race; Sweden, 4th!
    Special to Nordstjernan online from RBYAC
    Dateline: San Francisco, 02Sep2013

  • Boats accelerate across starting line in Race 4. ACEA/Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

  • Day 2
    What a day. What a deal. The Golden Gate Bridge held off the fog and the whole course was visible. The bleachers were free with huge TV screens canted in front at each end of the banks of bleachers. Perched up in the bleachers, everyone had a full view of the races. Plus the screens included by commentary from the tv crew, including Artemis Helmsman Nathan Outteridge and the AC hosts with introductions and commentary.
    At the end of the first half of the Red Bull youth races six teams are clumped within three points of each other. Sweden lost its focus on the third leg, finishing 9th of 10 teams. Only Australia, once again were last and had to drop out of the fourth race when their foresail again crashed down. By the second race of the day the Swedes became a team.
    They worked their way up by taking a separate route from the leader after working themselves up through the fleet. By the second half of the race they were leading but the Swiss were battling them hard and New Zealand, buried back in the pack at the start had overtaken the others. But the Swedes were dramatic in their win, making all their fans hold their breath when coming down the lay line, they rounded the mark but seemed to almost stall as the other two caught up. But once clear of the mark, Charlie Ekberg put the pedal to the metal and raced to shore. He beat the others by five seconds, but a win was a win.
    The problem here is consistency. Ekberg commented upon this to the crowd afterwards. With this win, for the remaining half of the races, they must stay ahead before the final race, which will carry double points. Today Portugal showed its strength in the first race and the Swiss were particularly strong today with double wins. But New Zealand’s Sailing Team with ETNZ and the local American Team are tied in leading the pack during the first half.

    Red Bull standings after first half:
    1. NZL Sailing Team with Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 2-4-7-3 – 28 points

    2. American Youth Sailing Force (USA) 1-7-3-5 – 28 points

    3. Team TILT (SUI) 8-5-2-2 – 27 points

    4. Swedish Youth Challenge (SWE) 6-2-9-1 – 26 points

    5. Full Metal Jacket Racing (NZL) 7-1-4-6 – 26 points

    6. ROFF/Cascais Sailing Team (POR) 3-6-1-8 – 26 points

    7. Next World Energy (FRA) 4-3-8-4 – 25 points

    8. All In Racing (GER) 5-8-5-9 – 17 points

    9. Objective Australia (AUS) RDG-10-6-10 – 9.3 points

    10. USA45 Racing (USA) 9-9-10-7 – 9 points
(RDG = redress awarded by International Jury)

  • The fleet turns around the first mark. ACEA/Photo: Abner Kingman

  • Ted Olsson
    San Francisco

  • The RBYAC fleet on full course. ACEA/Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget