Earlier in the day, meteorologists had predicted inclement weather, including rain and lightning. Unfortunately, their forecasts proved accurate. A massive bolt of lightning struck just 50 metres away from Luna Rossa’s bow, causing significant disruption. The New Zealand team, sensing the immediate danger, swiftly veered to starboard and exited the race field. Their decision to move out of the designated race area by over 200 metres led to their disqualification from the race.
With the Kiwi team out of contention, Luna Rossa, whose performance had been notably strong today, was declared the winner of the race. This result was a significant boost for the Italian team, which had shown impressive form throughout the day.
Following the disqualification and the ongoing adverse weather conditions, race officials made the decision to abandon the rest of the day’s races. The lightning was expected to continue, raising safety concerns for all participants. Consequently, the scheduled races, including those between American Magic and INEOS Britannia, Luna Rossa and Orient Express, and Alinghi versus American Magic, were all suspended.
The abandonment of today’s races has led to a reshuffling of the schedule. According to the revised plan, the postponed races will be carried over to tomorrow’s schedule. Instead of the four originally planned races, fans can now look forward to seven races packed into a single day.
In terms of standings, the cancellation has resulted in some shifts at the top of the table. Luna Rossa now clearly leads, thanks to their win over Emirates Team New Zealand. Meanwhile, Alinghi and Orient Express find themselves at the bottom of the table, both struggling to gain ground, now both with one win. The UK and US teams, despite being in the middle of the standings, have the advantage of having fewer races completed compared to their rivals.
Tomorrow’s racing is set to be crucial, with the make-up races providing an opportunity to clarify the standings. The match between Alinghi and INEOS Britannia will be particularly significant. Based on today’s performance, Alinghi has demonstrated they can be a formidable contender, potentially matching any America’s Cup challenger on a good day. Their fight against the British team will be one to watch.
Orient Express faces a challenging day as they are set to compete against both Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa. Given their current position and today’s events, the French team could face tough losses, but in the unpredictable world of the America’s Cup, surprises are always possible.
The weather tomorrow looks about the same as today, Lightening and rain, winds in the same direction and speed as today. The sea state is slight so that should not pose an issue. Temperatures will be slightly lower but not too cool.
