LIVE: Day 1 Race Updates
Tudor Team Alinghi opened its Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Sardinia campaign with an encouraging third-place finish in Race 1 on Friday in Cagliari. After a strong start, the Swiss crew showed impressive pace throughout the race, climbing as high as second and staying firmly in contention with the leading Italian teams. Despite a boundary penalty mid-race, Tudor Team Alinghi recovered well in the closing stages to secure a deserved 3rd place finish behind Luna Rossa and La Roche-Posay Racing Team.
| Louis Vuitton PR1 Sardinia – Fleet Race 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Team | Time |
| 1st | Luna Rossa – Women & Youth | 19:11 |
| 2nd | La Roche-Posay Racing Team | +0:36 |
| 3rd | Tudor Team Alinghi | +0:40 |
| 4th | Emirates Team New Zealand | +0:46 |
| 5th | Emirates Team NZ – Women & Youth | +0:55 |
| 6th | Athena Pathway – Women & Youth | +1:34 |
| 7th | Luna Rossa | +1:48 |
| 8th | GB1 | DNS |
Race 2 proved a far tougher contest for Tudor Team Alinghi, with the Swiss team battling back strongly after multiple early penalties reshaped their race. A solid start quickly unravelled after three boundary penalties on the opening upwind leg dropped the team deep into the fleet, leaving the team with significant ground to recover. Despite sailing in disturbed air behind the pack, Tudor Team Alinghi settled into a cleaner rhythm through the second half of the race, climbing positions steadily as rivals made mistakes ahead. A late capsize for Athena Pathway allowed the Swiss crew to move up to fifth at the finish in a race won by Emirates Team New Zealand
“Tricky race for sure. We had a few crashes in the chop, and with the breeze up it wasn’t easy out there. But there are some big learnings for us to take into the next race. Let’s Go!” – Pietro Sibello
| Louis Vuitton PR1 Sardinia – Fleet Race 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Team | Time |
| 1st | Emirates Team New Zealand | 19:52 |
| 2nd | Luna Rossa – Women & Youth | +0:08 |
| 3rd | Luna Rossa | +0:11 |
| 4th | Emirates Team NZ – Women & Youth | +1:14 |
| 5th | Tudor Team Alinghi | +3:05 |
| 6th | La Roche-Posay Racing Team | +5:01 |
| 7th | Athena Pathway – Women & Youth | Gate 5 |
| 8th | GB1 | RET |
Tudor Team Alinghi closed out Race Day 1 with another hard-fought fifth-place finish in demanding conditions on the Gulf of Angels. After a clean start, the Swiss crew remained firmly in the middle of a tightly compressed fleet throughout the race, battling with the Italian, Kiwi and British teams in strengthening breeze and building chop. Paul Goodison, Phil Robertson, Nicolas Rolaz and Pietro Sibello continued to show improving consistency and communication across race three, capitalising late after a capsize for Team New Zealand on the final run. At the end of the opening day in Sardinia, Tudor Team Alinghi sits fourth overall, level on points with second place, after a solid and encouraging first day of racing in one of the most competitive AC40 fleets assembled.
| Louis Vuitton PR1 Sardinia – Fleet Race 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Team | Time |
| 1st | Luna Rossa – Women & Youth | 15:58 |
| 2nd | GB1 | +0:11 |
| 3rd | Luna Rossa | +0:13 |
| 4th | Emirates Team NZ – Women & Youth | +0:17 |
| 5th | Tudor Team Alinghi | +0:24 |
| 6th | La Roche-Posay Racing Team | +0:34 |
| 7th | Athena Pathway – Women & Youth | +1:34 |
| 8th | Emirates Team New Zealand | +2:03 |
| Louis Vuitton PR1 Sardinia – Standings After Fleet Race 3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | Points |
| 1st | Luna Rossa – Women & Youth | 110 | 29 | 110 | 29 |
| 2nd | Luna Rossa | 74 | 38 | 38 | 20 |
| 3rd | Emirates Team NZ – Women & Youth | 56 | 47 | 47 | 20 |
| 4th | Tudor Team Alinghi | 38 | 56 | 56 | 20 |
| 5th | Emirates Team New Zealand | 47 | 110 | 83 | 20 |
| 6th | La Roche-Posay Racing Team | 29 | 65 | 65 | 19 |
| 7th | Athena Pathway – Women & Youth | 65 | DNS | 74 | 10 |
| 8th | GB1 | DNS | RET | 29 | 9 |
Paul Goodison (GBR): Skipper & Starboard Helm.
Phil Robertson (NZL): Port Helm.
Nicolas Rolaz (SUI): Starboard Trim.
Pietro Sibello: (ITA/SUI): Port Trim.
Tudor Team Alinghi returns to the Gulf of Angels today, sitting fourth overall after an encouraging opening day in Sardinia. Clear skies and a building south-easterly breeze set the stage for another spectacular afternoon of racing, with the AC40 fleet expected to face fast, physical and tightly contested conditions once again. With wave heights forecast to increase through the afternoon, boat handling and consistency could prove decisive across today’s three races.
