GBR Challenge qualify for final of the Americas Cup Jubilee
by Mark Bullingham 24 Aug 2001 23:04 BST
HARRISON'S GBR CHALLENGE DEFEATS NEW ZEALAND TO QUALIFY FOR THE FINAL OF THE AMERICA'S CUP JUBILEE
GBR 52 today won the remaining two races of the semi-final against New Zealand, to take a place in the final of the America's Cup Jubilee. Tomorrow the British America's Cup team will compete against the losing 2000 America's Cup finalists, Prada, for the Louis Vuitton Trophy.
GBR 52 started the day one race in arrears and with the disadvantage of a
port entry to the start sequence in the second race. Having gained the upper
hand in the pre-start against the current America's Cup holders, sailing on
board their legendary 1995 generation yacht 'Black Magic', the British team
extended at each mark to level the contest.
In the final race, the GBR Challenge afterguard, again gained the advantage
in the pre-start manouvres. The British team forced their illustrious rivals
outside to gybe around the committee boat and start three boat lengths
behind the former Nippon Challenge yacht. Again GBR 52 extended their lead
at each mark, to win the semi-final.
Ian Walker, who took the helm in each race once Andy Green steered for the
pre-start, outlined the team's feelings. " We're absolutely thrilled with
today, as we didn't see a lot of speed difference between the boats on the
course. Andy showed a huge amount of character today and the starts today
were especially good."
Walker, looked towards tomorrow, when the team will be up against Prada,
racing Luna Rossa. "Now we're in a situation where we've really got nothing
to lose." GBR 52 will be up against Luna Rossa, the yacht that won the
Louis Vuitton Cup in 2000.
Pre-start helmsman Andy Green talked through the pre-starts. "We had port
entry then had a dial up for three minutes of the five minute pre-start. We
held well head to wind and forced them to tack away onto port. They led out
towards the committee boat and the timing was such that they had to gybe
around to start with about 40 seconds to go. As they gybed, we made sure
that we held their turn down as much as possible by keeping as close to them
going in the opposite direction as possible. It was starboard end favoured,
we tacked onto starboard and were at the committee boat. As they tacked onto
port, we dialed down and were bow to bow at the gun. They were underneath us
and had to tack, so we tacked on top of them. We kept clear of them to
windward and they were dead in the water. That gave us a four or five boat
length lead."
"The second start we were in control from the starboard end. With about two
minutes to go they went to the right, as that was favoured. We managed to
work the boat up to the layline with about two minutes to go. At the start
gun, we put the bow up towards the committee boat and they weren't able to
get to the committee boat so were forced to tack away and gybe around the
committee boat, starting two or three lengths behind us."
Walker outlined the importance of the America's Cup Jubilee to the team.
"Without having done this regatta, we could have come to the first race of
the America's Cup nervous about sailing these guys. At least now we know
that we're on the same playing field. Nobody's going to get too excited
about the results here."
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