5.00pm
The wind was moderate and racing started on time today, hastening the demise of 'Mr. America's Cup', Dennis Conner.
Conner's New York Yacht Club-backed team was beaten in the fourth straight race of their quarterfinal repechage and have been eliminated from the Louis Vuitton regatta - subject to protest.
The regatta will
determine who will challenge Team New Zealand in February for the America's Cup.
Stars & Stripes helmsman Ken Read came out aggressively in the pre-start today, hoping to gain an early advantage on Seattle-based OneWorld.
Although he controlled the early part of the 5-minute period, Read broke off early taking USA-77 to the pin end of the start line.
But with plenty of time to line up for the start Stars & Stripes was late to the line.
OneWorld, too, was late to the line at the Committee Boat end.
At the first convergence, Stars & Stripes lee-bowed OneWorld, sending USA-67's James Spithill back to the right side.
But a right shift gave OneWorld a slight advantage that they converted to a 20-second lead at the windward mark.
Stars & Stripes hasn't been far off the pace speed-wise, and kept the pressure on OneWorld. They gained precious seconds on each of the next three legs until OneWorld sailed a solid final beat to boost its
advantage back to 21-seconds rounding the final windward mark.
Then Stars & Stripes did themselves in when their spinnaker grazed the windward mark as it was hoisted for the last time.
Stars & Stripes's requisite penalty inflated OneWorld's winning margin.
Team Dennis Conner has protested OneWorld to the International Jury, alleging a breach of Rule 2 - Fair Sailing.
In association with Prada, Team Dennis Conner has also brought a case against OneWorld before the America's Cup Arbitration Panel.
Decisions on these are expected before the start of the
semfinals on December 9th.
The Seattle Yacht Club's OneWorld Challenge, and the Italian Prada Challenge, representing the Yacht Club Punta Ala, now provisionally advance to the semifinals of the Louis Vuitton Cup where they will race each other.
Winning margin 01.00
OneWorld wins best-of-seven quarterfinal repechage 4-0.
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
Racing schedule, results and standings
