Forecast is for 12 knots, with slight shifts to the right.
Very similar to Wednesday... Some see this as a fundamental day. No one wants to be on the bottom end of a 3-1 score. But the odd-numbered matches always weight more in the end.
* * * Regatta 4 * * *
Coming in on the right, Dickson protects tightly the right-hand side. Spithill can only try to gain speed at the line. Oracle wins the start, has the right on starboard. The task for LR is hard because it has to cross over Oracle to negate their position priority.
A slight lefty gives an edge to LR. Oracle tries to lead LR into a tacking match. Does not pay off, but a righty does keep things tight. LR does take the windward mark first with a tricky and clean maneuver.
13 second delta is tight though. Knowing Oracle's downwind advantage, one (standing on LR) can seriously worry. Oracle eats into a weaker LR, but Grael was hunting for greater pressure. Oracle earns 1 second on the run. But then they split after the gate! 2700m split. Darned risk taking... Almost a tie game, even though a lefty seemed to have appeared. But LR has the priority for rounding the mark. Which all translates into an extra 17 seconds lead to protect on the final run.
LR covered initially, then loosened up. What's it going to be ? Coverage got closed. The only split cost but 6 seconds overall.
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| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Totale |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | - | - | - | 3 |
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| Desafío Español | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | | | - | - | - | 1 |
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| Bmw Oracle | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | | | - | - | - | 1 |
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| Luna Rossa | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | - | - | - | 3 |
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TNZ takes on the same tactic - so Grael may have picked left after all. The race runs rather identical as the first one. Very few worries for the kiwi maties in this match.
* * * * * *
LR really seems to have an edge windward. Notwithstanding favourable shifts (minor ones), Oracle has not cashed in. Grael has not lost his magic. Downwind, LR now has clearer tactics: Oracle is sleeker & faster in gybes. LR has to manage more their rythm and thus cover somewhat loosely. What is clear is that the folks at LR really have a good feeling for their boat!
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