Monday, October 30, 2006

Ben Ainslie of Emirates Team New Zealand Wins the Allianz Cup

[Source: World Match Racing Tour] The immensely talented British sailor Ben Ainslie became the fifth first-time winner on the World Match Racing Tour when he won the Allianz Cup Presented by Oracle.

The 29-year-old Ainslie, a helmsman for Emirates Team New Zealand, defeated Ed Baird of Alinghi, 3-1, to win his first World Tour event. Ainslie’s crew included James Dagg, Terry Hutchinson, Jeremy Lomas and Tony Rae. They finished with a 14-5 record and won $25,000 of the $100,000 purse.

“It was a tough day, really windy and shifty, plus the tide, our team did a good job dealing with all the conditions,” said Ainslie. “The first start we didn’t have a great one to be honest, the next three we nailed them. Terry did a great job nailing the shifts.”

Baird sailed with Mike Drummond, Nils Frei, Craig Satterthwaite and Piet Van Nieuwenhuyzen. They finished with a 13-5 record and won $15,000. “I didn’t do a good job on the line,” said Baird. “Compared to the rest of the week I wasn’t as strong off the starts at all. That was the difference. You let him start ahead of you and it’s really hard to pass, especially on this type of racecourse.”

Video highlights of the Final of the Allianz Cup. Video copyright Sportshows Television/Narrowstep - Allianz Cup

In the Petite Final Jesper Bank defeated Ian Williams, 2-0, to place third. Williams finished fourth in the event, but it was good enough to keep him in the lead of the Match Racing World Championship standings. Williams leads Baird by 7 points.

“Our goal coming into the event was to be leading the tour going out, so we’re please with that,” said Williams. “That’ll be our goal at the Monsoon Cup, to come out that still leading the Toru and if we can put in another top four result that should be ok.”

After the first race of the Final it looked as if Baird was going to run away with the regatta. A fairly even start saw both boats come off the line on starboard tack with Baird to windward. The two rode starboard tack to the seawall at St. Francis Yacht Club before tacking. When they did, Baird opened a two-boatlength lead.

Ainslie made it close at the top of the leg and got positioned to leeward of Baird. He luffed Baird, but then the pair drifted into the two-boatlength zone at the windward mark and the umpires penalized Ainslie when he didn’t fall off soon enough to allow Baird buoy room.

Ainslie received a second penalty moments later when he tacked to port and fouled Baird on starboard tack. Baird regained control of the match as Ainslie did one of his penalty turns and went on for the 1-0 lead.

Then Baird’s troubles in the start box began. In the second race Ainslie shut Baird out at the committee boat end, taking a two-boatlength advantage onto the racecourse and sailing to a resounding win to even the score line, 1-1.

Ben Ainslie (foreground) and Ed Baird circle in pre-start maneuvers during the Final of the Allianz Cup. (Allianz Cup/Bob Grieser photo)

In Race 3 Ainslie started to leeward and ahead for another commanding win to go up 2-1.

Ainslie took another commanding lead onto the racecourse in the fourth and clinching race. With about 50 seconds to go Baird got a leeward hook on Ainslie. Ainslie tacked away to port with about 20 seconds to go, but Baird was stuck. He’d lost way and when he called for port tack to chase Ainslie couldn’t get the boat going immediately. When the start gun sounded Baird was crossing two lengths behind Ainslie on port tack.

“We probably were slightly slower than I thought,” said Baird. “When I called for port tack there was a little hesitation. If we had gone right on to port tack we probably would’ve been a little stronger, but not strong enough to win the start.

“Those guys have been sailing well,” said Baird. “They do a lot of practice in these size boats. I fully expected them to be tough and they were. The thing that surprised me was me. I was disappointed that I didn’t have stronger starts.”

“The last three starts we shut him out in one, got him late and the last one we wanted the left and got that,” Ainslie said. “Ed and his team are bloody good. It was a real challenge to us. It was great to beat someone of that caliber.”

Ben Ainslie sails to leeward of Ed Baird in Race 1 of the Allianz Cup Final. (Allianz Cup/Paul Todd photo)

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