AC35 Match: Day 4, Race 7 – Kiwis go up 5-1

HAMILTON, BER – OTUSA are on asymmetrical foils today – port side foil (for starboard tack) is a "high speed" foil that should help them on the Leg 1 blast reach to the bear away mark, and their starboard side foil is "high lift" for the lighter air (8-10 knots) expected around the course. Kiwis win the start handily again to leeward of OTUSA, who try to gauge off and pull the trigger to late, giving the Kiwis a two second lead across the line. Peter Burling has won six of seven starts so far. Winning the start almost always results in a win, especially for the Kiwis.

SI colleague Max Moosmann is live tweeting the races again today for our SAILING ILLUSTRATEDTwitter site. He observed, "Tom Slingsby (AUS, OTUSA tactician) seems to be pulled out of tactical mode [and into grinding mode] when he is needed the most...." Good point, Max.

Delta at the bear away mark :03. Leg 2 gate, :05. Leg 3 gate :32. Leg 5 gate :35. Leg 6 gate: 12. Finish: 11. Kiwis lead the entire race and go up 5-1.

The asymmetrical foils didn't seem to help OTUSA in today's first race. Photo courtesy of our longtime friend StFYC friend Ron Young, for Latitude 38. And they can't change them between races on a given day.