Emirates Team New Zealand routed Italy's Luna Rossa by the biggest margin yet in the America's Cup challenger trials and clinched the right to advance to the Louis Vuitton Cup finals.
The Kiwis finished 7 minutes, 14 seconds ahead of the Italians, who officially were ruled did not finish because they weren't within 5 minutes of the winners.
Team New Zealand took an unassailable 7-3 lead over Luna Rossa, which fell farther behind at each turning mark on the seven-leg course on San Francisco Bay.
The Italians comment:
"We've got an awful lot to work on," Scott said. "Although the delta still seems substantial, we're moving forward and things are getting better. But clearly we've got a lot to do to get to where we need to be. We can't hide from the fact that, at the moment, the Kiwis are the class act."
When the Italians launched their 72-foot catamaran in low tide, the port rudder hit bottom. It had to be removed and repaired before the team left the dock. "We dropped the rudder out, brought it to shore and the boatbuilders tickled it up," Scott said. "Then the divers stuck it back in before we left the dock. It's never ideal, but what it harmed was our preparation time. The boat was 100 percent at start time."
Well...... Prada really doesn't have a chance and neither does Artemis if they ever get in the water to race... It will be OR against NZ in the cup, that might be a good race since they both will be fast and sailed well. My brother saw the Sunday 'race' and said it is so different in person, to see those huge boats going so fast is something. So if you are thinking of going, it may actually be good to see. The report is, go to the Marina Green viewing area, you will see a lot more of the race but not the finish. But still it will be good and cheeper than hanging at the village where you will have to watch most of the race on the TVs.
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