While the off-the-water battle between Seattle-based OneWorld and New York-based Team Dennis Conner was heading to the jury room, the two teams met on the Hauraki Gulf this afternoon in their first race of the quarterfinal repechage.
An uneventful pre-start saw both boats heading back toward the line with 45 secondsto go. Stars & Stripes went for a late hook with less than 30 seconds remaining, but couldn't get it and was forced to tack to port with 22 seconds to the start.
OneWorld crossed the line on starboard with speed near the pin end while Stars & Stripes was on port at the committee boat end.
The two boats sailed the first beat virtually neck-and-neck. But Stars & Stripes USA-77, to the right of OneWorld USA-67, gained the lead near the top due to a right shift. They rounded the windward mark with a 26-second advantage and added to the lead on the run, rounding the leeward mark 55 seconds ahead.
But OneWorld dragged the match to the left side of the second beat and a left shift halfway up the leg allowed OneWorld to halve its deficit.
OneWorld rounded the second windward mark 15 seconds behind. OneWorld performed a gybe-set to starboard and selected its asymmetric spinnaker around the mark, while Stars & Stripes held port.
When Stars & Stripes gybed to starboard OneWorld was already in a header and steaming down the course.
OneWorld rounded the leeward mark 13 seconds ahead and then sailed away on the last beat, opening a huge advantage sailing in localised lifts with pressure and extending out to an unassailable lead.
