KEY POINTS:
Holy! What a prestart between BMW Oracle Racing and Luna Rossa. It was dynamite.
Luna Rossa's James Spithill had the starboard advantage, Chris Dickson port.
As Dickson has been doing he sailed really deep in the box to try and sail around his opponents bow to neutralise the
advantage.
The dial-up was deep in the box to the left which meant Dickson more or less fell into a trap which Spithill took advantage off.
Dickson tried to wriggle out by gybing but got caught in a port starboard. To avoid the collision Spithill gybed on the inside which made him the windward boat.
The windward boat has to keep clear but Oracle put their stern into the Luna Rossa boat. Luna Rossa ended up in that position to avoid a collision. Even if that didn't happen the windward boat has some protection under the rule that a right of way boat should give a boat keeping clear the opportunity to keep clear. Luna Rossa couldn't keep clear. The result? Two penalities for Dickson.
The umpires got it spot on and that was the race. Luna Rossa extended on every leg.
Down 4-1 it is a long way back for the Larry Ellison-backed syndicate. The prognosis does not look good for Oracle in terms of strong leadership and turning it round from where they are. The body language does not look good.
As to whether they will make any crew changes? It is never a good idea in this situation.
In their match Team New Zealand looked like they wanted the right. They got a bit compressed so they trailed the Spanish over the line. The didn't win the start but they won the side. If there was anything in it, it was slightly right and they were on the right.
What was impressive was when they went on that long starboard was how quickly the New Zeaand boat shut the Spanish down. NZL92 was off like a scalded cat. They are sailing the boat very well.
In those choppy, light conditions. that black boat looks good.
Again the America's Cup port and race course was busy with spectators today. It will be interesting tonight to see if Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand can take it out 5-1.
Those of us who are following this event certainly hope so. The idea of what will nearly be a two week break until the final is very, very appealing
