Accompanied by Oracle founder Larry Ellison as the sixth man, Jimmy Spithill and his team showed in San Diego that they are the top favourites in the America's Cup World Series. Yesterday they took victory in the final and most important race. After rounding the first buoy in second place behind arch-rivals Emirates Team New Zealand, they were already ahead after the downwind leg and never relinquished their superior lead until the finish. Previously, "Oracle Racing 4" had already dominated the match race and only missed out on first place in the AC 500 Speed Trial by a tenth of a second. A perfect series ( all results here ).
This is the first double victory for Spithill, the Cup defender, after he was only able to score a few points in Cascais and Plymouth. However, he is still one point behind the New Zealander and Dean Barker in the overall standings after three events. This duel at the top promises to be exciting again in 2012!
However, others also made their mark in the uncomfortable (by Southern Californian standards) weather last week.
First and foremost Yann Guichard and his crew from the French Energy Team. With 3rd place in the fleet race and a sensational 2nd place in the match race, the Frenchmen, supported by German clothing manufacturer Marinepool, proved their great multihull experience. In fact, only two of the so-called "small" teams, i.e. those with limited funding, have so far managed to break into the phalanx of the big three - Oracle, New Zealand and Artemis: In Plymouth it was Team Korea, in San Diego Energy.
Yann Guichard, who took over the tiller for skipper Loïck Peyron, said after his success: "I am proud of the team and very happy about the result, because we have shown the others that we are a force to be reckoned with." His boss Bruno Peyron, who set up and manages the syndicate in the background, said: "We never even dared to dream of this! We've managed to put the best teams under pressure, beat them and turn the hierarchy on its head. If we carry on like this, anything is possible!"
In contrast, things went badly for one of the favourites, Artemis Racing. After a manoeuvring error, the jib on Terry Hutchinson's boat became twisted. Valuable seconds elapsed before everything was cleared again. In the end, the Swedes only finished sixth in the fleet race, far below their potential. Darren Bundock, who replaced Russell Coutts on "Oracle Racing 5", was even worse off. He was relegated to the back of the field and finished ninth. A shock - but also proof of how quickly the tide can turn on these fast boats. "One mistake," says Terry Hutchinson, "and you're off the podium."
A German was also on board in San Diego, for the first time. Not on an AC 45, however, but on one of the jet skis used by the umpires to follow the boats. Maike Schomäker made her debut as an on-the-water umpire and was accompanied by a ZDF television crew. Click here for the report in the media centre.
Jochen Rieker
Herausgeber YACHT
