Another Capsize Sunday at the Races

The final day of racing in the America’s Cup World Series held in Plymouth proved to be a thrilling and fitting climax to the eight day event. With strong and gusting winds racing conditions were reminiscent of the previous Sunday and resulted in collisions and capsizes. First off French Energy Team capsized before the start whilst manoeuvring to avoid Team Korea. Then a collision seconds before the start between Spanish Green Comm Racing and Swedish Team Artemis saw the Spanish team retire from the race, the skipper being taken off the boat with a fractured hand. Despite damage to the starboard hull resulting in taking on water Artemis continued to race but eventually capsized near the end of the course with a crewman going through the wing luckily without injury. Despite managing to get the boat upright Artemis were unable to complete the course in the 10 minutes allowed after the winner and ultimately forfeited the race. Not long after the start Team China also capsized.

Oracle Racing Spithill won the fleet racing on Sunday and Emirates Team New Zealand came second, combined with Emirates win of the match racing championships, New Zealand lead the series by 4 points.

Throughout the event entertainment was provided at the Base on Plymouth Hoe. For this final evening a large crowd turned out to see performances by the Fisherman’s Friends and Mad Dog Mcrea.

French Energy Team capsize before the start.

Team China capsize.

Artemis capsize as a result of suffering hull damage during a collision just before the start.

Hole in the wing on Artemis reuling from a crew member falling through it during the capsize.

Crowds gather on the final evening of the America's Cup Worldf Series in Plymouth to be entertained by "The Fishermen's Friends" and "Mad Dog Mcrea".

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Emirates Team New Zealand Win Plymouth Match Racing Championships

At the end of the match racing championships in the 34th America’s Cup World Series, Emirates Team New Zealand emerged as the winners, beating Team Korea into second place with Artemis Racing (SWE) finishing third.

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America’s Cup World Series – Match Racing Day 1

After the preliminary races of the weekend today marked the start of the match racing competitions. Today’s racing was made up of a 40 minute race followed by two 18 minute races. The weather was a dramatic improvement over the weekend with clear blue sky, calm sea and around 10 knots of wind. These calmer conditions brought their own challenges with frequent wind shifts and variations in strength. Once again large crowds of spectators turned out to watch the racing despite it being the middle of the week. It certainly seems that the event has grabbed the attention of the people of Plymouth.

And a shot I couldn’t resist taking!

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America’s Cup World Series – Day 2

With high winds expected to hit the UK in the wake of Hurricane Katia today’s racing was brought forward by a couple of hours. Despite bright and sunny conditions the wind proved gusty and made for tough sailing conditions. The day was marked by three capsizes, first French Team Aleph, then Team Korea and finally a spectacular double capsize by Spanish Team Green Comm Racing just in front of the finish line. It is estimated that 20,000 spectators watched the racing from vantage points around Plymouth Sound today.

The days racing starts whilst a media helicopter films from above.

Team China

Spanish team Green Comm Racing have a double capsize just before the finish line.

Oracle Spithill almost become the fourth boat to capsize!

French Energy Team

Bluegrass band "Out to Grass" take to the Stage on Plymouth Hoe to provide entertainment on Sunday evening.

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Thousands of Spectators Gather for First Day of America’s Cup World Series Racing in Plymouth

Despite unpromising weather conditions thousands of spectators today gathered to watch the preliminary races in the America’s Cup World Series being held in Plymouth from 10th – 18th September. With strong winds and blustery conditions, at times nearly reaching the upper operating limits of the AC45 boats used in the event, some very high speed sailing was the order of the day. With much of the race course being close to shore onlookers got close up views of the action.

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French Aleph Team Training in Plymouth Sound

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America’s Cup Yachts Begin Training in Plymouth Sound

With the start of the America’s Cup World Series in Plymouth only a week away the sailing teams have begun training in the sound. The coming days will see all the teams out on the water training and generally familiarising themselves with the venue.

 

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Rán Confirmed as Winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011

Niklas Zennström’s 74′ Rán (GBR) has been confirmed as the overall winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011 and as the winner of the Fastnet Challange Cup. Rán crossed the finish line in Plymouth on Tuesday at 12:53:44.  This is the second consecutive Fastnet win for Rán having also won the last edition of the race in 2009. The last double winner of the Fastnet Race was Richard Nye’s Carina II some 54 years ago in 1955 and 1957. The photograph below was taken approximately 1 minute before Rán crossed the finish line between the lighthouse on the Western end of Plymouth Breakwater and the Queens Ground buoy which can be seen in the photo.

Rán approaches the finish line in Plymouth to ultimately become the overall winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011

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…24 Hours Later

To misuse the title of a popular song – What a difference a day makes! 24 little hours in this case didn’t bring the sun and showers but rather lots of race yachts to fill those empty berths. More than fifty yachts have completed the race in the 24 hour period that separates the photograph in yesterdays post and the one below which was taken this evening. A party atmosphere prevails around the yachts this evening as crews begin to relax and unwind from the exertions of the last few days.

Berths in Sutton Harbour filled by yachts which have finished the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011.

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Empty Berths

This years addition of the Rolex Fastnet Race saw some very fast sailing in the first couple of days resulting in both multi-hull and mono-hull course records being broken. However the race yachts still at sea are having a much slower time of it, struggling in light winds as a result of a high pressure weather system over the Celtic Sea and southern Cornwall. Many of the early finishers have now left Plymouth and moved on elsewhere. Wandering around Sutton Harbour this evening I was taken by the number of empty berths still waiting to be filled by returning competitors.

Empty berths in Sutton Harbour waiting for yachts finishing the 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race

 

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