6.00pm
Skipper Chris Dickson and helmsman Peter Holmberg once again guided Larry Elison's Oracle BMW Racing to victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup series this afternoon, picking up their second win of the day.
The flight-four match was rescheduled from Tuesday October 29 and, like all the matches today, was sailed on
a shortened 12.5 mile course.
After beating Russell Coutts and his competition-leading Alinghi in flight eight this morning, USA-76 had relatively easy work in the afternoon taking on 7th-ranked Stars & Stripes.
A heart-pumping pre-start saw Stars & Stripes USA-66 almost hit the race committee boat as the start gun was fired.
Helmsman Ken Read, taking over from Dennis Conner after the morning race, was trying to burn time with a series of up and down manoeuvres. He put fear into the race committee when he hardened up at the gun and just cleared the boat.
Stars & Stripes remained close to the faster USA-76 around the first windward mark and then attacked on the run. The navy blue sloop got to leeward of the black boat near the leeward mark, tried to hold the opponent out but Oracle BMW Racing's helmsman Peter Holmberg was able to round 9 seconds ahead.
On the next beat Holmberg kept a tight cover on Star & Stripes, rode them out past the starboard layline and then rounded the windward mark with a 28-second lead.
Winds: up to 25 knots
Winning margin: 00.18
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
Racing schedule, results and standings
