A tight match between Ineos and American Magic
The first race of the day between NYYC American Magic and Ineos Britannia got underway in light winds of 8-9 knots. The Americans quickly took the lead, passing the first windward mark first. After conceding the lead to the British for a while, the Americans regained the upper hand and crossed the finish line 13 seconds ahead of the AC75 Patriot. The two challengers confirmed their close level of competition, offering spectators some high-intensity racing
Numerous errors in the French camp
The second regatta of the day pitted the French against the Italians, unbeaten since the start of the events. Big favorite Luna Rossa is a tough opponent for a French challenge in need of success.
Poorly placed, the French were given a penalty at the start, and had difficulty maintaining flight in the unstable wind. They crossed the finish line almost a minute behind their adversary.
Alinghi back on track, relegating the French to the bottom of the standings
After an uninteresting race between Team New Zealand and Ineos, in which the latter crossed the finish line four minutes after its opponent, the final race of the day was closely watched by the French camp.
Tied on points with Orient Express Team, Alinghi took on American Magic, in a high-pressure match for the Swiss challenger, struggling to avoid elilination.
Rather at ease in these unstable conditions, the crew led by Arnaud Psarofaghis and Maxime Bachelin pushed the Americans to the limit right from the start, and maintained their lead throughout the regatta.
With this second victory, the Swiss gain a precious point, and move up one place in the overall standings, relegating the French to last place.
The French camp is now in dire straits, needing to win at least two races to avoid being the first challenger eliminated from the Louis Vuitton Cup 2024.
