Louis Vuitton Cup - Round Robin 1 - Day 7: Areva Challenge beat Desafío Español

It wasn't supposed to be a difficult race for Desafío Español, the Spanish America's Cup challenger, but it turned out as the day's upset as a broken spinnaker pole on the Spanish boat cost them the early and comfortable lead they had over the French.

The start was pretty even and the Spanish went off the right side of the course and began to take the lead early in the first leg. The held on it till the top mark which they rounded 7 seconds ahead of their rival. Halfway through the first downwind leg, and after having increased their lead, Desafío Español suffered a breakage on their spinnaker pole. They tried to improvise and continued using their shortened pole (by 1 meter) through the rest of the downwind leg but when approaching the leeward gate they dropped it.

The obvious downwind speed difference meant the French rounded 1 minute ahead of the Spanish whose only option was to dramatically catch up in the second upwind leg. They achieved in reducing the gap to just 15 seconds at the top mark but the in final leg the cards were reversed once again and Areva Challenge crossed the finish line 2 minutes ahead.

The only consolation for the Spanish team is their superior boat speed and crew tactics. According to Marcos Iglesias, spinnaker trimmer, "the spinnaker pole broke after a maneuver within one and a half minute. It wasn’t positioned either very high or very low but broke in a straight line. At the moment we still don’t know why it broke".

Start of the Desafío Español - Areva Challenge race. Valencia, 22 April 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Clearly superior over their oppnents, Desafío Español lead the race from the first stretch of the first leg. Valencia, 22 April 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Areva Challenge approach the leeward gate clearly ahead of Desafío Español who are still trying to sail with their broken spinnaker pole. Valencia, 22 April 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Areva Challenge ready to round the leeward gate while Desafío Español are still trying to sail with their broken spinnaker pole. Valencia, 22 April 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Areva Challenge round the leeward gate and sail to the right side of the course. Valencia, 22 April 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Desafío Español finally sail the last stretch of the first downwind leg with no spinnaker pole. Valencia, 22 April 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Desafío Español round the leeward gate and sail to the left side of the course. Valencia, 22 April 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Areva Challenge cross the finish line way ahead of Deafío Español, but their overall performance shouldn't satisfy them. Valencia, 22 April 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Desafío Español crosses the fininsh line after sailing the last leg with no spinnaker pole. Valencia, 22 April 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing