ORACLE Racing Spithill won the Plymouth Fleet Racing Championship after an action-packed final day of the America’s Cup World Series in southwest England. Crowds on Plymouth Hoe, a large open public space along the coast with sweeping views of Plymouth Sound, were treated to thrills and spills, capsizes and collisions, as well as some great racing on a blustery Sunday.
ORACLE Racing Spithill (middle) won the Plymouth Fleet Racing Championship after an action-packed final day of the America’s Cup World Series in Plymouth, England. ©2011 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget
Published: October, 2011
ORACLE Racing Spithill won the Plymouth Fleet Racing Championship after an action-packed final day of the America’s Cup World Series in southwest England. Crowds on Plymouth Hoe, a large open public space along the coast with sweeping views of Plymouth Sound, were treated to thrills and spills, capsizes and collisions, as well as some great racing on a blustery Sunday.
James Spithill made amends for a lackluster Match Race Championship with an emphatic victory in the winner-takes-all race in the fleet racing. "It’s redemption after the match racing," said Spithill, who seemed unfazed by the breeze that bulleted across the course. With winds gusting up to 35 mph, merely avoiding a capsize or a collision was a major challenge but Spithill commented: "I still think we had a bit left in the tank to be honest. It was the puffiness and change in direction made it challenging, but what a fun race!"
"A lot of things had your full attention. You could screw up a tack and capsize. It’s good, it’s a test of sailing skill, and that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?" said Russell Coutts, ORACLE Racing CEO. "Wait until the fleet goes to San Francisco. We’ll be racing in those conditions every day."
Other sailors might have a different perspective on the day though. In the anxious minutes leading up to the start, Energy Team capsized trying to avoid Team Korea, although Loick Peyron’s crew managed to get the boat upright very quickly and rejoin the race. Moments later there was a dramatic collision with Artemis Racing riding up over the back of Green Comm Racing, with the skipper Vasilij Zbogar falling off the back of the Spanish boat and suffering a minor injury to his hand. With their boat damaged in the collision, and carrying two penalties from pre-start collisions, Green Comm retired without crossing the start line.
Steering clear of trouble in the pre-start, the two ORACLE Racing boats and Emirates Team New Zealand burst off the start line with other teams following behind. At the first bear away China Team capsized but got up and running again. In fact, when Artemis capsized later in the race, Charlie Ogletree’s Chinese team moved past and managed to cross the finish line 9 minutes and 54 seconds after the winner, just six seconds inside the finishing time limit. A great result for China Team, and a great result for Aleph who moved past Team Korea in the closing stages of the race to take 4th across the line.
With boats touching speeds in excess of 30 mph, it was a wild ride, and while the Kiwis battled hard with the two ORACLE boats, Spithill moved clear on the final lap and Dean Barker had to satisfy himself with 2nd place ahead of Russell Coutts. "Today it was racing and survival," said Barker, the Emirates skipper. "When the wind cranked in it was full on. The hard thing was not the wind speed but the big puffs which were unpredictable. Always like to win, but nice to get past Russell and take second."
The crowds on Plymouth Hoe increased throughout the week, as the city embraced the World Series and the teams.
"Plymouth has been buzzing with excitement since you arrived," said Councillor Vivien Pengelly. "It is estimated that over 115 000 people have lined the Hoe over the past week to see some of the most exciting racing to ever come to British waters. I have to take my hat off to all of the teams. Your skills are amazing. We’ve been thrilled to have you here."
The America’s Cup World Series now moves on to San Diego, with the first practice races scheduled to take place beginning Saturday November 12. On Wednesday, November 16, the San Diego Match Racing Championship begins, along with television and YouTube live-streaming of the races.
Team China capsized early in the Final Fleet Race but when Artemis Racing capsized later in the race the Chinese team was able to pass them and finish the race just six seconds inside the finishing time limit. ©2011 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget
