The second day of the Challenger Series saw another day of light winds and delays, with the breeze fluctuating between 4-9 knots, an improvement from the previous day but still challenging for the competitors. The race, scheduled between the Swiss team Alinghi and the American Magic team, was delayed by 15 minutes due to the wind conditions. The Swiss boat struggled significantly in the light wind, barely moving at the start, which allowed the American team to take an early and decisive lead.
At the start of the race, Alinghi was practically dead in the water, while American Magic was up on its foils, speeding down the first leg at nearly 30 knots. The Swiss boat finally managed to get on its foils, but not before picking up a penalty for its poor start position. As the teams approached the first gate, American Magic was already 650 meters ahead, demonstrating excellent control of their AC75 in the low wind conditions. Alinghi trailed by one minute and 27 seconds as they rounded the first gate.
The second leg saw the American team further extend their lead, reaching an 800-meter advantage over the Swiss. By the time American Magic rounded the bottom gate, they had continued to perform well, heading towards the favored side of the course where better wind was expected. Meanwhile, Alinghi’s situation worsened as they fell off their foils just before reaching the bottom gate, leaving them fully in the water and sailing like the America’s Cup of yester-year.
Entering the third leg, the Swiss boat was effectively sailing as if it were a conventional yacht, stuck at just 8.5 knots while the American team continued at speeds in the mid-20s. The Americans were three-quarters of the way through the third leg by the time Alinghi finally rounded the gate, but both boats then encountered difficulties. American Magic briefly fell off their foils but quickly recovered, whereas Alinghi remained stalled, struggling to get back up on its foils.
As the race progressed, American Magic entered the fourth and final leg, still well ahead of the Swiss. However, the light wind conditions continued to plague both teams, with the Americans falling off their foils again. Despite this, they managed to get back on their foils and continued towards the finish line. Alinghi, lagging by nearly an entire leg, finally started to foil again, but it was far too late to mount any serious challenge.
The race, shortened to four legs due to the conditions, was a slow and grueling affair. The American team crossed the finish line after 31 minutes and 54 seconds, well short of the fast-paced races typically expected in the America’s Cup. Alinghi, having lost significant time throughout the race, finally finished 2 minutes and 58 seconds after the Americans, sealing their second defeat in the semi-finals. Despite the challenges, the American team secured a well-earned victory, while the Swiss were left to reflect on a difficult day on the water. For the US, their drought of winning is over, picking up points from this race.
