AC35 Match: Day 2, Race 3 – Another huge Kiwi win!

HAMILTON, BER – Dead even start with OTUSA trying to gap off to windward and power over the top of ETNZ, but ETNZ held them off. OTUSA is on their high-speed foils while the Kiwis are still on their light-air, high lift foils. Kiwis hold Jimmy & Co. high, throw in a little luff and protest (lame protest, green-flagged properly by the umps), but maintain inside at the bear-away mark. They carry OTUSA beyond the mark to the boundary, and do simo-jibes (simo = simultaneous in sailor talk). ETNZ's jibe is near perfect, and OTUSA falls briefly off their foils. Kiwis squirt into a small lead and extend impressively from there. At the Leg 4 gate the Kiwis lead by :41. Leg 5 gate delta is :49.

The closest they have been since the start is after the Kiwis are heading downwind on Leg 6 on starboard tack with OTUSA still going uphill also on starboard (and, therefore, technically the leeward yacht). Looks to me like the Kiwis are trying to keep clear of OTUSA, who are about to tack onto port for the gate. It is scary close but ETNZ bear away and keep clear. OTUSA push the protest button. Green-flagged by the umpires, IMHO properly so.

The Kiwis cruise down Leg 6 and into the finish line at the end of a short Leg 7 for a :49 win, and have now won three in a row, putting them up 2-0 in the first-to-win-seven series.

OTUSA not looking like happy campers after the race. Curses, foiled again?