Tough day for Artemis in Louis Vuitton Trophy

[Source: Artemis] With the day off yesterday, all teams were ready to get back into it today. We had a moderate Southwesterly breeze at 1030 this morning, which built to as much as 23 knots for our match and the last match.

Artemis had a tough race against Azzurra. We called for the right at the start and Terry got it. We worked the shifts and built a 165-meter lead at the first mark. Then it all went sideways. The pole went in the water on the windward side and the kite went in the water to leeward. That was race over for us and a gift to the Italians. That one hurt because if we had beaten them we would have been well set up to get straight into the semis with Emirates Team New Zealand. But it is the round robin and there will be “knock out” races ahead and those are “do or die”.

In the first race of the day, Emirates Team New Zealand beat ALL4ONE rather easily, in the second race Team Origin won the race but there was a collision, which may cost them half a point for damage.

In the final race of the day, Mascalzone Latino and Synergy had a good tussle, but in the end Mascalzone Latino got the win.

Racing continues tomorrow at 1000 and we, Artemis, face Mascalzone Latino in the last match of the day.

Artemis break their spinnaker pole and lose the race against Azzurra. Auckland, 13 March 2010. Photo copyright Sander van der Borch / Artemis

Artemis break their spinnaker pole and lose the race against Azzurra. Auckland, 13 March 2010. Photo copyright Sander van der Borch / Artemis

Artemis break their spinnaker pole and lose the race against Azzurra. Auckland, 13 March 2010. Photo copyright Sander van der Borch / Artemis

It's all over for Artemis. They break their spinnaker pole and Azzurra sails to victory. Auckland, 13 March 2010. Photo copyright Chris Cameron / Emirates Team NZ