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Louis Vuitton Pacific Series 2009 		Team McLube

 


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Sep 15, 2008, 9:18 AM

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PRESS RELEASE
Paris and Auckland
September 15, 2008


LOUIS VUITTON ANNOUNCES REGATTA

Louis Vuitton announced today that the company is planning an international match racing regatta to be sailed in Auckland, New Zealand in February next year.

The “Louis Vuitton Pacific Series” is being organized in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS), and Auckland City

Over the last 25 years, Louis Vuitton has associated its name with the America’s Cup, helping to bring this historical sporting event into the 21st century.

All the sailing teams that have participated in previous Louis Vuitton Cup regattas have been invited to compete in the Auckland regatta from January 31 to February 14, 2009.

Organisers will select between six and eight teams, on a “first come, first served’’ basis, to participate in this friendly series of races.

In order to ensure a level playing field, all participating teams will compete aboard Emirates Team New Zealand yachts. The two boats are very similar in performance. Some configuration changes will be made to ensure a level playing field.

Three races are planned every day on a two-mile windward-leeward course laid at the mouth of Waitemata Harbour between Rangitoto Island and Orakei wharf.

Yves Carcelle, C.E.O of Louis Vuitton explained that: “The Auckland event is neither competing with the America‘s Cup, nor is it part of the next edition of the America’s Cup. The Louis Vuitton Cup, awarded to the top challenging syndicate since 1983, will not be at stake during the event. A Louis Vuitton trophy will be created especially for this regatta.”

In Auckland, Emirates Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton said the team’s role, apart from preparing the yachts for racing, was only that of a competitor.

“The sailing team welcomes the opportunity to get back on the water as a complete unit against some top opposition,” he said. “The regatta will be a big event for Auckland. The action will take place over three weekends to give Aucklanders a chance to see the big boats and top teams fight it out.”

Dalton said that ETNZ would do everything it could to make its two yachts totally competitive. “We know the yachts’ relative performance very well and even though they’re close, we know what can to be done to make them even more so.

“The organisers are looking at having a daily draw to decide which yacht the teams will sail that day. Over the course of the regatta they should all race both boats.”

RNZYS Commodore Scott Colebrook welcomed Louis Vuitton’s initiative. “The RNZYS is looking forward to having Louis Vuitton back in Auckland and the Squadron will do everything it can to make the series a success. Planning for operations on the water has already commenced. The concept is excellent, the sailing venue is ideal and we eagerly anticipate hosting some great sailing.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said: "Congratulations to Louis Vuitton and Emirates Team New Zealand for organising this exciting international yachting event. New Zealand is very pleased to be hosting this regatta and Auckland with its beautiful harbour and vibrant inner city will put on a fantastic show for yachting fans and tourists."

Mayor of Auckland John Banks said the high caliber event will be another opportunity to showcase the city to the world. “We want this to be an event that not only establishes Auckland as a desirable major events destination, but also provides three weekends of great entertainment for Aucklanders,” the Mayor said.

Bruno Troublé, spokesperson for Louis Vuitton, said there had been an enthusiastic response from many of the teams invited to the event.


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com


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Sep 17, 2008, 11:38 AM

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Current entry list*
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL)
2. BMW ORACLE Racing (USA)
3. Mascalzone Latino (ITA)
4. K-Challenge (FRA)
5. Team Shosholoza (SA)
6.
7.
8.

*Alinghi (SUI) said they would enter if ETNZ would drop their lawsuit against them.


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Sep 25, 2008, 1:49 PM

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September 25, 2008

LOUIS VUITTON PACIFIC SERIES
SEES OVERWHELMING RESPONSE

Louis Vuitton confirmed today an overwhelming response to the international regatta to be sailed in Auckland, New Zealand, in February next year with 23 teams spontaneously expressing interest and seven teams who have already registered and paid the entry fee. With eight berths available in the regatta, the entries are almost closed only one week after announcing the new event.

Among the seven confirmed entries are five former Louis Vuitton Cup competitors: host Emirates Team New Zealand, BMW ORACLE Racing (USA), K-Challenge (FRA), Mascalzone Latino (ITA), and Shosholoza (RSA). An Italian and one other team also have officially entered, but will announce their participation at a later date.

“We are delighted to see such strong interest from the teams for this friendly event,” said Yves Carcelle, Président Louis Vuitton.

“With such a positive response, we are working on creative ideas to bring more teams to Auckland,” said Louis Vuitton’s Director Christine Belanger.

“Exactly 25 years ago on September 26, 1983, Australia II put an end to 132 years of American domination over the oldest trophy in sport, after winning the first-ever Louis Vuitton Cup,” said Bruno Troublé, founder of the Louis Vuitton Cup. “We are proud on the occasion of this anniversary to work on a new event which will bring the teams back on the water.”

To be called the “Louis Vuitton Pacific Series”, the event is being held in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New-Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS), Auckland City and Sky City Entertainment Group.

All the sailing teams that have participated in previous Louis Vuitton Cup regattas have been invited to compete in Auckland from February 1 – 15, 2009.

Three races are planned every day on a two-mile windward-leeward course laid between Rangitoto Island and Waitemata Harbour. The competing teams will be selected at random before the start of each race.

Louis Vuitton
Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
01 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Bruno Troublé
06 61 00 43 21bruno@coyoteandco.eu


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Nov 6, 2008, 12:03 PM

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 6th, 2008


LOUIS VUITTON PACIFIC SERIES CONFIRMS 12 TEAMS

PARIS, FRANCE - At the New Zealand Embassy today, Louis Vuitton announced the names of the 12 teams from 11 countries which will compete in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series in Auckland, New Zealand next February.

The New Zealand Ambassador, Her Excellency Mrs Sarah Dennis, joined Mr Yves Carcelle, Chairman & CEO of Louis Vuitton, in welcoming the participation of all the teams.

The aim of the regatta is to allow all former Louis Vuitton Cup competitors to get back on the water and compete in a friendly match race series. When the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series was announced last September, 23 teams expressed their interest.

Fourteen teams have confirmed they want to compete. With the number of participants being limited to 12, the last two entries have been placed on a waiting list. If, in the next month, one or more teams drop out, the teams in waiting will have the opportunity to fill the vacancy.

“The success of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series has exceeded our expectations. We are pleasantly surprised that the announcement of this event has created a sense of excitement and conciliation in the world of the America’s Cup,” said Yves Carcelle.

The teams will now start their preparations. They will arrive in Auckland on January 23rd in order to familiarise themselves with the boats, which have been loaned for the regatta by BMW Oracle Racing and Emirates Team New Zealand. Two weeks of match racing competiton begins on January 30th.

Bruno Troublé, spokesperson for Louis Vuitton, said that the gathering of international teams and sailors which will convene in Auckland for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is one of the most impressive ever brought together.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is being organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and Sky City Entertainment Group.

A representative from each of the teams travelled to Paris this week in order to attend a meeting organised in preparation of this event.

Alinghi, winner and defender of the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup is one of the confirmed participants.

Six daily match races are planned on short windward-leeward courses laid at the entrance to Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, between Rangitoto Island and the city foreshore. There will be a daily draw to decide which yacht competing teams will sail that day.


LOUIS VUITTON PACIFIC SERIES (By order of entry)
Emirates Team New Zealand – New Zealand
Luna Rossa – Italy
BMW Oracle – USA
K-Challenge- France
Mascalzone Latino – Italy
Team Origin - UK
China Team – China
Team Shosholoza – South Africa
Italia – Vasco Vascotto - Italy
Team Germany - Germany
Greek Challenge - Greece
Alinghi – Switzerland

Waiting list:
Italia – Francesco De Angelis – Italy
Team French Spirit – Marc Pajot – France

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota / Konstanze Wachter
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
k.wachter@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor
Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@pr4sail.com

Coyote & Co
Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com


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Nov 13, 2008, 11:07 PM

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perhaps this event will get things going again. Hope that swiss guy has now understood the Cup is bigger than even his ego
yachting news from around the world and around the corner


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Dec 1, 2008, 10:25 AM

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LVPS: Letter from Vincenzo Onorato/Mascalzone Latino

Dear friends and supporters,

It is with deep regret that I inform you to have withdrawn the entry of our team from the next Louis Vuitton Pacific Series.

This decision is the result of a lengthy deliberation, and it doesn’t reflect my wish. It is due to the difficult international economic situation which is making nearly impossible to find sponsors that would cover, even partially, the operational costs for a participation aiming a good performance.

Further, making a low level’s participation to the Auckland regatta would mortify our aspirations for an event which deserves the maximum standard in terms of sport and organization.

My great sorrow in giving up is mostly for Louis Vuitton which is , in my opinion , the only depositary of the Cup's tradition and dignity.

For this reason, I wish “good wind” to this event and to all participants and I hope its promoters will keep on with their dedication into our sport with the same passion they always had.

On our part, while waiting for the America’s Cup to find a reasonable and viable way to be pursued, Mascalzone Latino confirms its participation into 2009 Farr 40 Class regatta.

Vincenzo Onorato




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Dec 4, 2008, 10:39 AM

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Scuttlebutt 2735
Both Italian syndicate Mascalzone Latino and Team Germany, challengers in the
32nd America’s Cup in 2007, have withdrawn from the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
to be held in Auckland, New Zealand in February next year. Both teams stated
that the global financial crisis made it impossible to find sponsors to back
their participation. -- NZ Herald, full story: http://SButt120108c.notlong.com


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Dec 4, 2008, 10:40 AM

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Translated:
The union of French America's Cup French Spirit shall not participate in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, said its president Marc Pajot, whereas "in sailing and America's Cup, it should not disperse" . "We is applying at the outset, we were then placed on the waiting list, and finally we were invited," said Pajot. On reflection, this no longer corresponds to the approach of our program to the next America's Cup. "AFP -- http://www.myfreesport.fr/...rt=tous&id=35541


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Jan 8, 2009, 1:49 PM

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 9th, 2008

Ten Teams Will Contest Louis Vuitton Pacific Series

AUCKLAND, NZ – The organizers of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series confirmed today that ten international teams from nine countries will match race on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour for a special trophy created by Louis Vuitton. Racing starts on 30th January and will continue for the next two weeks.

“We are delighted at the overwhelming response to our concept of a friendly series for top level international teams,” said Yves Carcelle, Chairman of Louis Vuitton. “We started with the hope that six teams would race and to attract ten top entries at such short notice is a great achievement. This will be the most outstanding gathering of international sailing teams since the Louis Vuitton Cup in Auckland in 2003.”

Crews will take turns in racing one-on-one in New Zealand’s NZL 92 and NZL 84 and BMW Oracle Racing’s USA 87 and USA 98. The two American boats were offloaded from their transport ship just before Christmas and a team of 30 Kiwi and American shore crew members worked throughout the holiday period to prepare the boats for racing. The work included changes to the rigs and sail plans to make each pair of boats as equal as possible.

There will be six races each day on the Waitemata off North Head, readily visible to spectators ashore and afloat. There will be a daily draw to decide which yacht competing teams will sail that day. Renowned international race officer Peter “Luigi” Reggio will fly to Auckland to head the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s race committee.

Representing New Zealand, America’s Cup and Louis Vuitton Cup winner Dean Barker will skipper and take the helm for the home team.

Italy’s Luna Rossa, winner of the 2000 Louis Vuitton Cup in Auckland and semi-finalist in Valencia, will have Virgin Island native Peter Holmberg as its skipper and helmsman.

Auckland’s Russell Coutts, three-time America’s Cup winner, has never lost a race between 1995 and 2003. Coutts, who has not raced at this level of competition since then, will return to skipper and steer for the USA’s BMW Oracle Racing.

France will be represented by K-Challenge. The team’s young skipper, Sébastien Col, was helmsman for the team in Valencia in 2007 and was runner-up Match Racing World Champion in 2008. He is currently ranked as the top match racer in the world.

From Great Britain, TEAMORIGIN is a new bid for America’s Cup success by the Royal Thames Yacht Club. Ben Ainslie, Great Britain’s most successful Olympic sailor, with three Gold medals and one Silver, is the skipper and helmsman. British Olympic Star gold medallist Iain Percy in China last year, is tactician.

For the China Team, British two-time World Match Racing Tour champion Ian Williams has signed on as skipper and will take the helm in Auckland. The team was a first-time Louis Vuitton Cup competitor in Valencia in 2007. It’s home is the Qingdao International Yacht Club.

South Africa's Team Shosholoza also made its debut in Valencia in 2007 as the first-ever challenger from the African continent. Italy's Paolo Cian, who until recently was third in the ISAF Match Racing world rankings, is skipper and helmsman.

Damiani Italia is a new team from Circolo Canottieri Aniene and Club Canottieri Roggero di Lauria, two of Italy’s oldest yacht clubs. Vasco Vascotto, runner-up in the 2008 TP52 worlds is skipper and tactician while Francesco Bruni is helmsman.

The most recently-formed team is the Greek Challenge, currently training on borrowed boats in Valencia. The team was started by courageous Greek and Canadian businessman Sotiris Buseas who is still finalizing negotiations with an international skipper and helmsman.

Auckland’s Brad Butterworth is skipper and tactician for Alinghi, the race-winning team from Switzerland that is the two-time winner and current holder of the America’s Cup. American Ed Baird will again take the helm for the Swiss.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is being organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and Sky City Entertainment Group.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota / Konstanze Wachter
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
k.wachter@fr.vuitton.com

Coyote & Co
Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Keith Taylor
Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@pr4sail.com

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com




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Jan 13, 2009, 2:01 PM

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BMW ORACLE RACING CONFIRMS CREW FOR LOUIS VUITTON PACIFIC SERIES

Russell Coutts and Larry Ellison in Afterguard for competition in Cup class yachts in New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand, 14 January 2009 -- BMW ORACLE Racing today confirmed the team’s race crew for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series starting here 30 January.

Three-time America’s Cup winner and team CEO/Skipper Russell Coutts (NZL) will be at the helm and team owner Larry Ellison (USA) will be part of the afterguard. Hamish Pepper (NZL) will be tactician. The regatta features ten international teams from nine countries match racing on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour for a special trophy created by Louis Vuitton.

“We are all looking forward to racing in New Zealand again in what promises to be a very competitive regatta,” Coutts said. “Many of the world’s top big boat sailors will be will be here and it will be great to start the New Year with a regatta of this calibre.”

The BMW ORACLE Racing crew includes: Alan Smith (NZL), bow; Alberto Barovier (ITA), mid-bow; Carl Williams (NZL), mast; Jamie Gale (NZL), pit; Andrew Taylor (NZL), grinder; Brian MacInnes (CAN), grinder; Joe Newton (AUS), upwind trim; Daniel Fong (NZL), downwind trim; Joe Spooner (NZL), main grinder; Noel Drennan (IRL), main trim; Cameron Dunn (NZL), traveler; Russell Coutts (NZL), helm; Hamish Pepper (NZL), tactician; Larry Ellison (USA), afterguard; Michele Ivaldi (ITA), navigator; Magnus Auguston (SWE), runner grind; Hamish Wilcox (NZL), runner; and Kazuhiko Sofuku (JPN), reserve foredeck.

Crews will take turns in racing one-on-one in New Zealand’s NZL 92 and NZL 84 and BMW ORACLE Racing’s USA 87 and USA 98. The shore teams have been working hard over the past few weeks to prepare the yachts for racing. The work included changes to the rigs and sail plans to make each pair of boats as equal as possible. Training is planned to start next week in Auckland. There will be six races each day on the Waitemata off North Head, readily visible to spectators ashore and afloat. A daily draw will determine which of the four boats each team will sail.

# # #

For more information, please go to www.bmworacleracing.com.

For copyright-free photos, please visit www.bmor-photo.com.

For More Information:
Jane Eagleson, Jeagleson@bmworacleracing.com
In New Zealand Mob:
Spanish Mobile


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Jan 17, 2009, 12:07 PM

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TEAMORIGIN TO COMPETE IN LOUIS VUITTON PACIFIC SERIES

Triple Olympic Gold Medallist Ben Ainslie to lead the British charge

PREVIEW RELEASE: 16TH JANUARY 2009




TEAMORIGIN, the British Challenger for the 33rd America’s Cup, is one of 10 teams preparing to compete in the new ‘Louis Vuitton Pacific Series’ event taking place in Auckland, New Zealand, between 30th January and 14th February 2009. This will be the team’s second regatta in version 5 America’s Cup racing boats, having already competed in the CNEV regatta in Valencia, Spain in November 2008.

This new event has been introduced by Louis Vuitton in partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand. Louis Vuitton is a long time sponsor and supporter of the Louis Vuitton Cup and America’s Cup event. The initial aim was to gather six teams for the inaugural event, but the organizers have had interest from an impressive 24 teams. The final entry list for the regatta comprises 10 teams representing nine countries.

Crews will take turns match racing one-on-one in four boats – two from Emirates Team New Zealand (current holders of the Louis Vuitton Cup) and two borrowed from BMW Oracle racing. The racing will be held close to shore and event organizers aim to provide competitive, action packed racing with plenty for spectators to see, as well as an event village open to the general public.

TEAMORIGIN Skipper and Helm, Ben Ainslie, currently racing Etchells in Adelaide, Australia, commented: “Given the delays we have experienced in America’s Cup matters during 2007 and 2008, it will be very refreshing to get out on the water and race again! It’s good to see so many teams active and ready to compete, and such a great mix of existing and new teams together, which bodes well for the future of America’s Cup racing. For TEAMORIGIN, it will be a chance to get our sailors together and race against some top teams which I am very much looking forward to.”

TEAMORIGIN announced today their sailing and support team for the event as follows:

Sailing
Matt Cornwell (GBR) Bowman
Julian Cressant (FRA) Mid Bow
George Skuodas (GBR) Mast
Barry McKay (NZL) Pit
Craig Monk (NZL) Grind 1
Pawel Bielecki (POL) Grind 2
Chris Brittle (GBR) Mid Grind
Robbie Naismith (NZL) Trim up
Christian Kamp (AUT) Trim down
Chris Salthouse (NZL) Main
Chris Draper (GBR) Traveller
Ben Ainslie (GBR) Helm & Skipper
Iain Percy (GBR) Tactician
Peter Isler (USA) Navigator
Andrew Simpson (GBR) Strategist
Mike Sanderson (NZL) Runner & Team Director
Anthony Nossiter (AUS) Runner/pit assist
Mike Mottl (AUS) Back-up trimmer
David Carr (GBR) Back-up grinder
Stevie Erickson (USA) Sailing Team Manager
Kelvin Harrap (NZL) Afterguard Coach


Shore/tender
David Duff, Shore Operations Director
Alistair McRae, Tender driver


Shore support
Charlotte Kootstra, PA to Team Director / Shore support
Leslie Ryan, Marketing & Events Director

Sir Keith Mills, Team Principal




Teams entered for the event include the following:
Alinghi , Switzerland
BMW Oracle Racing, USA
China Team, China
Damiana Team, Italy
Emirates Team New Zealand, New Zealand
Greek Challenge, Greece
K Challenge, France
Luna Rossa, Italy
TEAMORIGIN, Great Britain
Shosholosa Team, South Africa

To follow TEAMORIGIN’s progress during this event, go to:
www.teamorigin.com
www.louisvuittonpacificcup.com
or contact : leslieryan@teamorigin.com +4...




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Jan 17, 2009, 11:05 PM

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The official event website is http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com


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Jan 25, 2009, 12:24 PM

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Saturday, January 24, 2009
by Chris Cameron

The teams have arrived at Auckland …. four yachts are ready to go racing ….. work is underway on setting up the race village. And the weather could not have been better. It’s Saturday January 24 2008 in Auckland and in less than a week the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series will be underway. Today the sense of anticipation was apparent. The Viaduct Harbour was busy as Aucklanders, enjoying a long weekend to celebrate the city’s founding, called in to inspect the activity. Teams were briefed this morning. Then sailing crews inspected the two Emirates Team New Zealand and two BMW Oracle Racing yachts that they will be racing from next Friday. But first there’s an intensive few days of training and racing for all crews to familiarise themselves with the yacht systems. While every yacht in the class is similar, each has its customised fittings and systems that crews will have to master. That process started Saturday afternoon and will continue for most of next week.




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Feb 1, 2009, 1:27 PM

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30th January, 2009

Gusty, Shifty Conditions Test Crew Skills

AUCKLAND, NZ – The hint of upsets to come were in the air today off Auckland’s North Head as contestants in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series completed four races in building gusty, shifty conditions that tested the skills of crews.

The French team Pataugas K-Challenge won the opening match, defeating China Team by 1m 2s in a shifty and gusty 14-16 knot southwesterly breeze. Under gray skies K-Challenge made a strong start on port at the pin end of the line. China Team made a late start on starboard at the committee boat end but skipper Ian Williams made big gains up the first weather leg. A gybe early on the spinnaker run resulted in a broken spinnaker pole on the Chinese boat, a situation compounded by a penalty after a leeward mark incident. The Chinese did well to finish just over one minute astern after taking their penalty.

With the wind strength increasing, the new crew of the British TEAMORIGIN syndicate was in total control from the start of its encounter with Italian’s Luna Rossa. With two Olympic gold medallists in the afterguard - Ben Ainslie at the helm, and Iain Percy calling tactics - TEAMORIGIN won the start and after a spirited tacking duel up the middle of the course, established a 22s lead around the first mark. Despite efforts by Luna Rossa helmsman Peter Holmberg, the British team pulled away to win by 1m 11s.
In the third race, sailing on home waters, Emirate Team New Zealand’s skipper/helmsman Dean Barker led from start to finish against Damiani Italia Challenge. Francesco Bruni on the helm of the Italian boat started in synch with the Kiwis with a safe leeward berth, only to see the home team boat inch slowly away. At the end the Kiwi margin was 19s.

In 18-20 knot gusts, Greek Challenge made their mark, literally, in their maiden appearance, racing against top seed Alinghi. Gavin Brady, the Kiwi skipper of the Greek boat, had no hesitation in testing his mettle against Ed Baird, Alinghi’s skipper in the pre-start. He paid a heavy penalty when he lost control momentarily and his bow hit the stern of Alinghi. It cost the feisty Brady one penalty point for “hard contact.” Unperturbed, Brady made a good recovery and led Baird out towards the port layline before the Swiss boat settled down and began to sail steadily away. The umpires awarded the requisite one point to Alinghi for their victory and docked the Greek Challenge one point, leaving them in negative territory. The margin was 2m 2s.

At a press conférence on the Village plaza in front of the big screen, the teams racing tomorrow drew for the boats they’ll sail. The first race of the day, starting at 11 AM, will see BMW Oracle Racing aboard USA 98, racing against Emirates Team New Zealand in USA 87. The second race features Shosholoza aboard NZL 84 versus Greek Challenge in NZL 92. China Team on USA 87 meets Damiani Italia Challenge sailing USA 98 while Luna Rossa will race NZL 84 against Alinghi in NZL 92.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com went live this week in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is being organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com




The Publisher
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Feb 1, 2009, 1:29 PM

Post #15 of 30 (14618 views)
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Saturday 31st January, 2009

Barker Beats Coutts in Waitemata Racing

AUCKLAND, NZ – Russell Coutts was gracious in defeat today after losing a race in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series to Dean Barker, his old crew mate from Emirates Team New Zealand. Sailing the BMW Oracle Racing boat USA 87, Barker beat the Coutts-led American crew in USA 98 by 28 seconds in the first race of the day.

At a press conference in the Race Village afterwards and in front of a big public gallery, Coutts was asked what it felt like when the apprentice beat the master. Coutts answered dryly and with a smile: “It’s happened before!” He added, “We would have been happier with a different result but they won that one pretty convincingly.”

After eight races over the first two days, Emirates Team New Zealand has two points in Pool A, while Pataugas K-Challenge from France and Damiani Italia Challenge each have one point. In Pool B, Switzerland’s Alinghi is the leader with two points while Britain’s TEAMORIGIN has one point.

A shifty, gusty southwest breeze averaging 16 knots delivered challenging racing conditions as the boats raced twice-around 1.7-mile legs from a start line off Rangitoto to a windward mark just off the Orakei Basin. The racers took a break after the third race while commercial ships and a barge moved through the area.

In the first race the promise inherent in the series was realized with a tough, tight race between old rivals Emirates Team New Zealand and BMW Oracle Racing. The Kiwis got the right after a pre-start battle and Coutts fought back, rounding the first leeward mark only two seconds behind. Coutts enjoyed a brief lead, only to see Barker use the leverage of the favored right hand side and kill any chances of an American victory.

Gavin Brady, the Kiwi skipper of the Greek Challenge, and his mixed Greco-Kiwi crew had something to prove after suffering a penalty from a collision yesterday that put them in minus scoring territory. In the second race Brady pounced on the South African boat Shosholoza in the pre-start and the umpires had landed a penalty on his opponents before the start gun had fired. Brady started in frront and worked to a clear 56 second win over South Africa’s Italian skipper and helmsman Paolo Cian.

In similar fashion Francesco Bruni at the helm of the new Italian team Damiani Italia Challenge put his stamp early on the third race. He shut out two-time World Match Racing Tour champion Ian Williams aboard China Team, forcing him above the start boat just before the gun. The Italians won by 1 min 17 sec in a race when the deltas were never less than one minute and the lead at times as much as 500 metres.

In the last race of the day, Alinghi won handsomely by 50 seconds over Virgin Islands match racer Peter Holmberg at the wheel of the Italian boat Luna Rossa. Holmberg mis-timed his last minute manoeuvres approaching the start line and in an effort to win clear air he conceded 40 metres to Ed Baird on Alinghi as they crossed. The Swiss were never threatened again.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com went live this week in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is being organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com





The Publisher
*****


Feb 1, 2009, 1:31 PM

Post #16 of 30 (14616 views)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday 1st February, 2009

British Team Defeats Switzerland’s Alinghi

AUCKLAND, NZ – Britain’s newcomer TEAMORIGIN, with Olympic ace Ben Ainslie at the helm, put away the powerful Alinghi team from Switzerland today, right at the start of their race in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series.

It was the biggest scalp so far in the first three days of racing on the Waitemata Harbor as Ainslie forced Alinghi helmsman Ed Baird over the start line just one second before the gun. After circling back to restart, the Swiss trailed by over a minute behind at the first weather mark and although they closed the distance, never got back in the race.

Spectators ashore on vantage points like North Head and a fleet of waterborne watchers were treated to some close racing in winds that quickly built to 18 to 20 knots. The last race of the day was abandoned as the breeze went over 27 knots.

Ashore afterwards, Kiwi Mike Sanderson who is Team Director for the British said: ”Ben did a fantastic job, giving them (Alinghi) a little push. It made it pretty tough for them to get back behind the line.” Sanderson acknowledged the expertise of the two-time America’s Cup champion team, pointing out that the Swiss have set the benchmark in sailing Version 5 Cup boats. “We’ve got a long way to go,” he added.

The closest race of the day saw Italy’s Damiani Italia Challenge overcome a determined challenge from France’s Pataugas K-Challenge. Helmsman Francesco Bruni led at every mark although the leg changed at least once on the first weather leg. Sebastian Col, skipper of the French boat and the top-ranked match racer in the world, took the fight back to the Italians on the run, working into a position where the French were overtaking their opponents, only to be penalized for failing to respond to a luff.

A penalty played a role in the third race when China Team, sailing by Ian Williams was flagged by the umpires for sailing too close to BMW Oracle Racing, skippered by Russell Coutts. After that Williams did a good job of staying in contact with his opposition but a gennaker that blew out on the last run put paid to any hopes of redemption.

The last race of the day between South Africa’s Shosholoza and Italy’s Luna Rossa was initially delayed because of headfoil problems on the South African boat, and then abandoned because of strong winds. The race will be sailed tomorrow.

Scores: Pool A – Emirates Team New Zealand, 2; Damiani Italia Challenge, 2; Pataugas K Challenge, 1; BMW Oracle Racing, 1; China Team, 0. Pool B – TEAMORIGIN, 2; Alinghi, 2; Greek Challenge, 0, Team Shosholoza, 0, Luna Rossa, 0.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com went live this week in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is being organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com



The Publisher
*****


Feb 2, 2009, 12:33 PM

Post #17 of 30 (14486 views)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, 2nd February, 2009

Dinghy Moves in 80-footers

AUCKLAND, NZ – Competition in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series took on a new sense of urgency as dusk fell over the Hauraki Gulf this evening and South Africa’s Shosholoza and Italy’s Luna Rossa scrapped like tigers throughout a four-lap race. Think dinghy moves in 80-footers!

The victory honors went to Peter Holmberg skippering Luna Rossa but only after multiple lead changes and two penalties imposed on the South African boat. It was by far the closest race in the first four days of competition in the two-week long international match race for big boats sailed in Auckland’s harbour.

A long delay waiting for suitable wind forced a late start to racing and nightfall was near by the time the Italians and South Africans and had their chance to sail a race that was abandoned yesterday.

A tense pre-start battle led into a close weather leg featuring lead changes and some slow-speed jockeying for position at the weather mark. Cian was first around with an 18 second margin only to be penalized on the run as Holmberg drew level and tried to pass. At the leeward mark Holmberg scraped in by just five seconds ahead of the Italians.

At the second weather mark Cian had the upper hand again and executed a series of downspeed defensive tacks that had the boats crawling above the layline as the Italian skipper looked for an opportunity to land a penalty on Holmberg, a move that would cancel the penalty hanging over his head.

An already tactical race turned bizarre as the boats rounded and neither set spinnakers. Cian was still hunting for a penalty. Holmberg was content to lay back and avoid one. The top half of the last run was a series of jerky S-turns with the big mainsails slamming back and forwards as the skippers feinted and counterpunched. Finally Cian copped a second penalty which meant he had to take the requisite 360-turn to neutralize the first. Holmberg sailed away to win by 1min9sec.

In four other races today, China Team lost to Emirates Team New Zealand after blowing their race start, while Luna Rossa comfortably defeated the Greek Team. BMW Oracle Racing won by 54 seconds over Pataugas K-Challenge and TEAMORIGIN beat Shosholoza by 48 seconds.

With one day’s competition remaining in the first round robin, the scores are: Pool A – Emirates Team New Zealand, 3; Damiani Italia Challenge, 2; BMW Oracle Racing, 2; Pataugas K Challenge, 1; China Team, 0. Pool B – TEAMORIGIN, 3; Alinghi, 2; Luna Rossa, 2; Greek Challenge, 0, Team Shosholoza, 0.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com went live this week in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is being organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com


The Publisher
*****


Feb 2, 2009, 4:52 PM

Post #18 of 30 (14447 views)
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From Peter Isler, Navigator - Team Origin:

(Feb. 2, 2009) - The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is just what the doctor ordered for the ten AC teams participating in this "exhibition regatta"... getting the focus back out on the water with some great racing. Team New Zealand and BMW Oracle have done a great job preparing their two boats (each) from the 2007 campaign and have full shore teams ready for to handle any issues (there's already been one "prang" and a few broken spinnaker poles) during the 12 hours of darkness.

So for the sailors the focus is on the sailing. We show up at the Team New Zealand base a couple of hours before our scheduled race start (the four races per day have taken about an hour each to complete), shuttle out to the race course in a chase boat, hop aboard for quick practice and then its straight into our match. At the finish, we peel our logos off the mainsail and hop back in the chase boat. No long seven hour days on the water here; we're lucky to spend a couple hours on the boats each day.

The two NZL boats (84 & 92) are paired up against each other as are the BMW Oracle boats (87 & 98) sporting their jumperless rigs which have been a big hit amongst the crews. The boats seem quite equalized although there is just a hint that the newer boats of each pair have a bit of an edge. It is a bit weird to see Dean Barker and team sailing the black and white BMW Oracle boats though.

Peter Reggio is running the races, generally trying to squeeze the course in at the corner of the harbor, at North Head, where the channel turns north past Rangitoto - right next to the city, not out on the Hauraki Gulf where we usually sail the AC boats. This means that the race track is quite narrow, and the organizers have laid lines of buoys along the edges to restrict our playing field..... so no sailing all the way to the layline, often we have to tack within two minutes off the starting line to stay on the course. This narrow race track, combined with the short, 1.7 mile (or shorter) legs puts a big premium on the start and picking the correct side of the course. The moon is getting bigger and the current rips in and out here at more than two knots at peak adding to the strategic game.

Shoreside, Louis Vuitton and Team New Zealand have created a great venue for the public (America's Cup sailing is still front page news here in NZL) and unlike the "real" America's Cup, the sailors all hang out on shore together, like a regular regatta. Spirits are high, but be assured, even though the organizers remind us that this is supposed to be "part exhibition - part serious racing", there will be plenty of game faces on during the later rounds.

As expected, Team New Zealand looks very very smooth. Their team probably has the least turnover of any team out here, with Alinghi next in that department. Most of the rest of the teams are a pot pourri - staffed by familiar Cup sailors wearing new team colors - so there’s lots of teams still getting their choreography sorted out in this short course racing. But the format gives the home team a clear shot to the Finals, they sit out after warming up in the first two round robins whilst the "challengers" battle for the right to race the Kiwis in their home waters. It's all good fun, and great to get the focus back out on the water. Kudos to the hosts and Louis Vuitton, who once again have proven their commitment and interest in our sport by producing this event.


The Publisher
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Feb 3, 2009, 12:50 PM

Post #19 of 30 (13789 views)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, 3rd February, 2009

South Africa’s Shosholoza Topples Alinghi


AUCKLAND, NZ – The biggest upset in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series came today on Auckland Harbour as South Africa’s Team Shosholoza slam-dunked the reigning America’s Cup winners Alinghi, from Switzerland.

Without a win after three days of racing, the South Africans skippered by Italian match racer Paolo Cian came out with all guns blazing against the Swiss boat helmed by two-time cup winner Ed Baird.

Cian used the favored starboard tack entry to the starting box to engage Baird in a prolonged dialup above the starting line that stretched out over more than three drawn-out minutes. It was a virtuoso performance. The American had the option of tacking away but opted to hold his boat motionless, head to wind in anticipation of an error by his opponent. Cian never blinked and stayed in control until he peeled off to return in a perfectly-timed big sweeping turn below the line to start at speed. Baird was forced to follow nearly three boat lengths astern in his wake.

“It was the classic start that you want to keep in your mind for a long while,” said Cian. “We had the starboard tack advantage. At two minutes they had just one escape for them to roll on top of us and try to extend to the right. They chose to keep it slow.” Cian added that the tide was pushing both boats towards the committee boat and his crew did a great job of executing the turn back to the line.

From there, things went from bad to worse. Alinghi lost time on every leg, especially the bottom of the first spinnaker run where a light patch of breeze and a wind shift cost valuable meters and left Baird’s foredeck crew scrambling to muzzle their spinnaker after rounding the mark. Alinghi was over a kilometre astern and 3m49s away when the South Africans finished.

Conditions were perfect for racing, with bright sunshine, a puffy, shifty and warm north-easterly wind at 14-16 knots, and flat water in the Rangitoto Channel.

In the other races, BMW Oracle Racing defeated Damiani Italia by 52 seconds in a race that was close for the first three legs. The French boat Pataugas K-Challenge put up a good fight and engaged Emirates Team New Zealand for the first weather leg of their race but the Kiwis won by 1m38s. Greek offshore sailor Theodoros Tsoulfas took the helm of the Greek Challenge today to race Britain’s TEAMORIGIN and kept the margin close for two legs before the British pulled away to win by 58s.

At the end of the first round robin, the scores are: Pool A – Emirates Team New Zealand, 4; BMW Oracle Racing, 3; Damiani Italia Challenge, 2; Pataugas K Challenge, 1; China Team, 0. Pool B – TEAMORIGIN, 4; Alinghi, 2; Luna Rossa, 2; Team Shosholoza, 1; Greek Challenge, 0.

After a lay day tomorrow, racing starts again on Thursday in the second round robin. In the Gold Fleet, Alinghi in NZL 84 will race TEAMORIGIN in NZL 92, Damiani Italia Challenge in NZL 84 will race Emirates Team New Zealand in NZL 92 and BMW Oracle Racing in NZL 92 will race Luna Rossa in NZL 84. In the Silver Fleet, Pataugas K-Challenge in USA 87 will race Greek Challenge in USA 98, while Team Shosholoza in USA 87 will race China Team in USA 98.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com went live this week in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is being organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com




The Publisher
*****


Feb 6, 2009, 4:19 PM

Post #20 of 30 (13470 views)
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Note: There was racing on Thursday (Feb. 5, 2009) but no report provided.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, 6th February, 2009

Rich Get Richer on the Waitemata

AUCKLAND, NZ – The rich got richer today on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour as international teams match racing in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series competed before crowds ashore and afloat. Bright sunshine, a brisk 16-knot north-easter and flat water provided ideal conditions for crews and the crowds on North Head and on a spectator fleet that started at 60 boats and grew during the day.

Host team Emirates Team New Zealand and the Swiss team Alinghi both won races while America’s BMW Oracle Racing showed winning form and finished its race first, only to be docked a point for a pre-start collision

To celebrate New Zealand's Waitangi day, Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker experienced that winning feeling again with a conservative but comfortable victory over the Italian Luna Rossa team helmed by Peter Holmberg

The hapless Greek Challenge, with Gavin Brady steering, copped two penalties well before the start gun in their showdown with China Team and Ian Williams. The double hit effectively shattered the Greeks’ hopes of advancing any further. They will race once more tomorrow and again next week against South Africa’s Team Shosholoza in the contest for 9th and 10th places.

Russell Coutts for BMW Oracle Racing was relentless in the pre-start in his attacks on TEAMORIGIN’S Ben Ainslie With the seconds counting down after a long dialup, Ainslie made his bid to break clear. There was hard contact as the boats split away and the umpires docked Oracle one point and TEAMORIGIN half a point. Adding insult to injury, the British boat suffered headfoil damage that prevented the crew raising their jib and was forced to retire. Coutts won the race but the victory point was cancelled by the penalty point. The Britons protested but the jury upheld the umpires’ decisions against both boats.

The first race of the day saw a penalty when Italian helmsman Francesco Bruni, who was leading on the first weather leg, attempted protect his lead and trap Alinghi’s Ed Baird in a dial-down. The umpires red-flagged the Italian boat and Alinghi sailed on to win. In other racing, Sebastien Col, driving Pataugas K-Challenge for France, defeated Paolo Cian at the wheel of Team Shosholoza and eliminated the South Africans from this round.

Gold Fleet scores: Alinghi, 2 points; BMW Oracle Racing, 1; Damiani Italia Challenge, 0; Luna Rossa, 0; TEAMORIGIN, -.5; (Emirates Team New Zealand is not awarded points in this round). Silver Fleet: Pataugas K-Challenge, 2; China Team, 2; Team Shosholoza, 0; Greek Challenge, 0.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com has content in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is being organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com





The Publisher
*****


Feb 8, 2009, 11:35 AM

Post #21 of 30 (13373 views)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, 7th February, 2009

British Nail Convincing Win Against Italy

AUCKLAND, NZ – A taut and tense battle between Italy’s Luna Rossa and the newcomer British team TEAMORIGIN went to the wire in a fresh southerly breeze during racing on the Waitemata Harbour today in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series. The British team won by four seconds, barely a boatlength.

A first attempt to race was abandoned in light air when the time limit ran out and the race committee moved to a new course as the southerly filled in. Spectators crowding North Head were treated to a battle royal as Cup veteran Peter Holmberg steering the Italian boat swapped tacks and gybes with three-time Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie.

After a pre-start that included a high-speed reach into the spectator fleet, the pair split at the gun with the Italians going right and the Britons going left. A big left shift under North Head put the Italians just ahead at the weather mark.

The boats tore down the run, side by side, but despite his efforts Ainslie’s team trailed by 16 seconds as they split at the leeward gate. Another challenging beat ended when Luna Rossa carried the British boat past the mark.

Both boats wheeled into crash gybe sets around the buoy with the Italians just in front. The Britons split away on the run and moved out to an 80 meter lead as they closed the finish line on opposite gybes. The gun sounded for TEAMORIGIN with the Italian boat only a boat length and four seconds astern.

In other racing today, Alinghi conceded a match to Emirates Team New Zealand by failing to start. In the other Gold Fleet race, BMW Oracle Racing beat Damiani Italia Challenge. In the Silver Fleet China Team finished the round unbeaten with a convincing win over Pataugas K Challenge, while the Greek Challenge gained some redemption with a victory over Team Shosholoza.

Gold Fleet scores: Alinghi, 2 points; BMW Oracle Racing, 2; TEAMORIGIN, 0.5; Damiani Italia Challenge, 0; Luna Rossa, 0. (Emirates Team New Zealand is not awarded points in this round). Silver Fleet: China Team, 3; Pataugas K-Challenge, 2; Greek Challenge, 1; Team Shosholoza, 0.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com has content in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is being organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com




The Publisher
*****


Feb 8, 2009, 11:36 AM

Post #22 of 30 (13372 views)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, 8th February, 2009

Alinghi is Challenger Finalist


AUCKLAND, NZ – Switzerland’s Alinghi secured her berth in this week’s challenger final with a victory in today’s Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, while two newcomer teams each racked up wins against long-time campaigners.

Guided by Kiwi skipper and tactician Brad Butterworth and steered by American helmsman Ed Baird, Alinghi won her third race in four days of Gold Fleet competition.

Although she will race Italy’s Luna Rossa tomorrow, Alinghi has already amassed top points for the round and cannot be beaten. She is now a finalist in the sailoff later this week to decide which challenger will meet host Emirates Team New Zealand in racing for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series Trophy. Four other Gold Fleet teams and two Silver Fleet teams will race in a sudden-death sail off and ladder competition to decide the other challenger finalist.

After declining to race against Emirates Team New Zealand yesterday for tactical reasons, Alinghi came out loaded for bear today in a race against BMW Oracle Racing, steered by Russell Coutts, winning by 13 seconds.

In the closest race of the day, TEAMORIGIN’S Ben Ainslie scored a narrow victory over his old team mate Dean Barker in close racing, winning by just six seconds. It was a hollow victory for the new points-starved British team because victories against Emirates Team New Zealand are not counted in this round.

The two Italian syndicates racing in Auckland met in the first race of the day. The veteran Luna Rossa with Peter Homberg as its new helmsman sailed against the fast-rising newcomer Damiani Italia Challenge, skippered by Vasco Vascotto and steered by Francesco Bruni. The newcomers leveraged a small advantage at the start line into a 1min40sec victory after four legs.

Gold Fleet scores: Alinghi, 3 points; BMW Oracle Racing, 2; TEAMORIGIN, 1.5; Damiani Italia Challenge, 1; Luna Rossa, 0. (Emirates Team New Zealand is not awarded points in this round). Silver Fleet: China Team, 3; Pataugas K-Challenge, 2; Greek Challenge, 1; Team Shosholoza, 0.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com has content in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com





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Feb 9, 2009, 4:04 PM

Post #23 of 30 (13182 views)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, 9th February, 2009

Cup Racers are Ready for Challenger Sail-off

Auckland, NZ - Racing in the Challenger Sail-off stage of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Cup takes place on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour tomorrow following the completion of Gold Fleet competition today.

Two sudden-death races will be sailed to decide which boats will go through to complete the lineup for the challenger quarter finals.

In competition today, Switzerland’s Alinghi won her fourth Gold Fleet race to cement her already-confirmed top seeding and an automatic berth in the challenger final. She won handily against the Italian boat Luna Rossa.

Newcomer Damiani Italia Challenge scored an upset victory over British Olympic medalist Ben Ainslie on TEAMORIGIN after he broke the start line and had to return to restart. The victory guaranteed Damiani a place in the first quarter final on Wednesday

Host team Emirates Team New Zealand sailed in their final race before taking their place as a Louis Vuitton Pacific Series finalist next Saturday but succumbed to their old nemesis Russell Coutts at the wheel of BMW Oracle Racing. Oracle’s win took them to a berth in the other quarter final on Wednesday.

TEAMORIGIN will race tomorrow against France’s seventh-seeded Pataugas K-Challenge to decide the quarter finalist to meet Damiani Italia Challenge. In the other match, Luna Rossa will race against sixth-seeded China Team for the right to race against BMW Oracle Racing in the other quarter final.

The eighth and ninth seeds, Greek Challenge and Team Shosholoza sailed their final match today to determine their final placing in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series. The newcomer Greek Team, skippered by Kiwi Gavin Brady won, to place ninth overall. The South African Team Shosholoza with Italian match racer Paolo Cian at the helm is tenth overall.

The results table and scoring chart for the regatta can be accessed at http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com/staging/DOWNLOADS/LVPSResults.pdf

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com


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Feb 10, 2009, 11:42 AM

Post #24 of 30 (13082 views)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, 10th February, 2009

British, Italian Teams Earn Quarter Final Berths

AUCKLAND, NZ – Pre-race favourite teams battled ferociously in the Rangitoto Channel today to secure their places in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series quarter finals to be sailed tomorrow.

Italy’s Luna Rossa skippered by Peter Holmberg pulled out a heart-stopping one-second win over the China Team while Britain’s TEAMORIGIN was under the gun until skipper Ben Ainslie scored a penalty against France’s Pataugas K-Challenge in a spinnaker luffing confrontation that took them far above their proper course.

With just four days of competition remaining, TEAMORIGIN will race tomorrow against Damiani Italy Challenge in one quarter final match. The other quarter final will be America’s BMW Oracle Racing against Luna Rossa. Weather permitting, the semi finalists will race tomorrow to determine who will race the top seed Swiss boat Alinghi in the Challenger Final. The winning challenger will meet Emirates Team New Zealand in a seven-race match on Friday and Saturday.

Peter Holmberg’s victory came as Luna Rossa completed a penalty turn on the finish line. British match race champion Ian Williams steering China Team had laid the penalty on the Italians 30 seconds before the start as they fought for the right hand position on the line.

With the penalty hanging over him Holmberg enjoyed a small lead at the start and ever so gradually eked it out to a 150 metre lead at the finish. He jammed his boat around in a tight turn bringing it almost to a halt as it spun around. Williams carried fresh breeze down to the line and crossed at speed but not before Holmberg crawled across to take the gun,

“I’ve done a lot of penalty turns in my career,” Holmberg said afterwards, “but it’s tough making 24 tons go 360 degrees and keep it moving!”

A penalty featured in the other match too as TEAMORIGIN fought a drama-filled skirmish with the charged-up French K-Challenge to stay in the regatta. Ainslie did an outstanding job to start on port tack right next to the committee, forcing K-Challenge helmsman Sebastian Col to tack away. The British boat protected the right up the beat, but the French instigated a tacking duel that evened up the game.

With the top mark in sight, TEAMORIGIN dialed down and tacked just in front of K-Challenge, holding them out by nine seconds at the top mark. However the British spinnaker set was slow and K-Challenge rolled them. In the ensuing drama, Ainslie luffed the French boat up twice. The French were penalized for failing to keep clear and lost time recovering their spinnaker, which sagged off to leeward after the halyard let go. Ainslie led the rest of the way, secure in the knowledge that the French still had to complete their penalty turn.

The breeze died after the completion of two races this morning. A long and fruitless wait for wind in warm, damp and humid conditions ended at 1600 hours.

The results table and scoring chart for the regatta can be accessed at http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com/...OADS/LVPSResults.pdf

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com has content in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com





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*****


Feb 11, 2009, 12:27 PM

Post #25 of 30 (12935 views)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, 11th February, 2009

Alinghi Beats Oracle by One Second

AUCKLAND, NZ – The Swiss boat Alinghi pulled off a one-second come-from-behind victory over BMW Oracle Racing today on the Hauraki Gulf in the first race of the challenger finals for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series.

The American boat Oracle, skippered by Russell Coutts led the whole race only to see Alinghi, with Ed Baird at the helm, get to the favoured end of the finish line and snatch the win.

Competition in the three-race challenger series will continue tomorrow, Thursday, and the winner will meet the host team Emirates Team New Zealand in a seven-race series on Friday and Saturday.

Coutts and BMW Oracle Racing fought their way to the top of the heap today in two races preceding the finals. They first defeated the Italian challenger Luna Rossa in a bare-knuckles quarter final brawl that featured three penalties. Then the American boat beat the other Italian contender Damiani Italia Challenge in the semi finals. Alinghi assured their place in the challenger finals three days ago by virtue of its top seeding in ten days of round robin competition.

Alinghi’s start against BMW Oracle racing was without incident. The Swiss boat used its starboard entry into the start box to claim the right hand side of the course and lined up for the start with Oracle to leeward. Coutts had a tiny edge at the start and leveraged it to a 70 metre lead at the first windward mark.

Baird drew level and threatened on the spinnaker run and Alinghi was just two seconds astern as they started the second beat. Coutts opened the lead on the next beat but on the run, sailing some 90 metres ahead of his rivals, Coutts only applied a loose cover as the boats split apart. A 20 degree wind shift at the top of the run had made the committee boat end of the finish line favored and it gave Baird the break he needed to beat Coutts.

In his quarter final race Coutts won by just one second after exquisitely executing a penalty turn at the finish line and beating Luna Rossa. Both boats were penalized as they fought for dominance rounding the first windward mark. Those penalties cancelled out but Coutts got a second penalty for gybing too close on the run. Oracle managed to build a 100 metre lead and, defying the odds, Coutts pulled off the penalty turn with seconds to spare.

In the semi final, there were no fireworks or flags when Oracle raced against Damiani Italia Challenge. It was a boat speed contest and the American team prevailed. Earlier, the new Italian team had earned their semi finals place by beating the British TEAMORIGIN. An umpire’s green flag was the defining moment that spelled the end of the British team’s bid. British skipper Ben Ainslie controlled his opponent, Francesco Bruni, throughout an aggressive pre-start sequence but an attempt by the Briton to force a penalty was green-flagged by the umpires while the Italians sailed away to victory.

The results table and scoring chart for the regatta can be accessed at http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com/staging/DOWNLOADS/LVPSResults.pdf

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com has content in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com






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Feb 11, 2009, 4:59 PM

Post #26 of 30 (12905 views)
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The following letter came from Bob Colpitts, and was published in Scuttlebutt 2779:
I'd love to see a Butthead poll on the LV Pacific Cup website. After three tries to make sense of it I give up. It takes forever to load, and the first thing you learn is that you can watch the races only if you are in New Zealand. Oh, goodie, that sure is welcome news to the other 6 billion people on the planet. But it gets worse. The results tables have cute icons that reveal nothing, which makes it impossible to check comparative performance. On top of that, the race tracker, if you can find it, requires you to download more software; and once installed, it crashed my browser. Surely Louis Vuitton can do better. Maybe they should have a look at the Vendee Globe web site.

In response to the letter from Bob Colpitts, Scuttlebutt received this email from Ian Taylor, CEO Animation Research Ltd/Virtual Eye:

I am CEO of Animation Research Ltd – we invented the first ever 3D animation system for sailing in 1992. We have done every Americas Cup event since then. The product was called Virtual Spectator – it is now Virtual Eye. We have also delivered real time graphics, both for TV and the Internet for the Whitbread, the Volvo (not the current one that is the old Virtual Spectator) the Vendee Globe, the Monsoon Cup, the TP52’s and numerous others. I am also the CEO of Taylormade Media, the company that has put together the live stream with Virtual Eye.

With regard to the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series and in particular Mr Colpitts comments. It is not my place to comment on the design or functionality of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series web site which was designed in Paris. However I can make the following observations:

1: Until 3 weeks before the event the only coverage that was to be produced for the event was a half hour highlights package to screen in New Zealand at 11:00 at night. It appears that no overseas broadcasters were interested in taking live coverage of the event which in turn made it cost prohibitive for TVNZ to set up a full production for New Zealand only. Hence the highlights only package at night.

2: Believing that there would be interest in this event both nationally and internationally my company, Taylormade Media, put together funding to create full live coverage of every day which we would stream to the web. We offered that streaming opportunity and the associated international rights for free, and got absolutely zero response. In New Zealand TVNZ picked up the NZ rights for that coverage and it has been hugely successful.

3: Getting no takers for the live stream, and with just five days before the event, we then built, again at our own cost, a highlights web site, www.lvps09.com, to which we upload our virtual highlights packages of every race at the end of each day. We have also added photos and various other video clips that may be of interest. This we deliver for no cost but, as Bob rightly points out, you do need to download the Silverlight viewer. Given that this was used by NBC to deliver the Olympics and was used to stream the Obama Inauguration it is hardly just ‘another piece of software’.

4: From today, and again at absolutely no cost to any of the 6 billion people out there interested in this event, we have put up on the web site our Virtual Eye Skippers viewer. This is the viewer that all teams use, and have used for every Americas Cup since 1992, to do their post race analysis. The download can be found on the front page of www.lvps09.com. It holds the data for every race of the series and is updated at the end of each day. Unfortunately this viewer is a PC only viewer which was not meant for public use – we are making it available simply because of the interest out there. However the Silverlight application at www.lvps09.com operates cross platform with MACs that have the Intel processor.

Bob is quite correct that the event here in New Zealand has been a stunning success. The on line delivery has been incredibly popular with an average of 5 hours live every day. This, as I said, was offered free of charge, to any organisation in the world keen to take it up and distribute it but there were no takers. Perhaps if Bob could have arranged for us to be paid 1 cent each from the 6 billion people he claims we ignored we would not be in this position.

Cheers


Ian Taylor
CEO Animation Research Ltd/Virtual Eye


Ps – I have attached some pictures from our Virtual Eye viewer. The first two are of our 3D model of Auckland City leading to the race area. The third is of the boats racing off North Head with Rangitoto in the background. I will send through some others soon showing the close finishes we have tracked to less than a metre.



Attachments: Auckland_Virtual_eye_B.jpg (150 KB)
  Auckland_Virtual_eye_C.jpg (157 KB)
  Auckland_Virtual_eye_E.jpg (71.6 KB)


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Feb 11, 2009, 5:36 PM

Post #27 of 30 (12898 views)
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Below are examples that Ian Taylor provided of the 3 close finishes that were tracked live and delivered here in NZ.










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Feb 12, 2009, 10:24 AM

Post #28 of 30 (12764 views)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, 12th February, 2009

Alinghi Will Race Emirates Team New Zealand

AUCKLAND, NZ – Switzerland triumphed in a face-off between America’s Cup winners Ed Baird and Russell Coutts this morning. Steering Switzerland’s Alinghi, Baird slammed the gate on Coutts and BMW Oracle on the start line and went on to win the challenger finals of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series 2-0.

Tomorrow Alinghi meets host Emirates Team New Zealand at the beginning of a two-day, seven-race regatta for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series trophy.

Today’s race marked the end of 13 days of high-energy match racing to select a finalist to race against Emirates Team New Zealand. The home team raced in two round robins with nine international teams from eight countries but sat out the sail-off series that finished today.

Yesterday, the Swiss team, skippered by Kiwi Brad Butterworth with Baird steering, pulled off a shock victory against Coutts and his American team. Coutts had led the entire race but lost by one second.

“You can always reflect on things that might have been and yesterday I think perhaps we got a little complacent at the end of the race,” Coutts said. “The finishing line was heavily biased towards the committee boat end and it is a pretty elementary thing to spot, but we sort of missed that, so that was our fatal error."

Today, with the threat of heavy wind this afternoon, racing started early in a 15-knot northerly and for Coutts and the Americans it was over before the start gun fired as Baird blocked his approach to the start line.

Oracle had enjoyed the advantage of the right hand entry at the five minute gun and engaged Alinghi in a couple of tight circles, the boats only metres apart. With 1:30 remaining, both boats were lining up for the start inside the starboard layline with Oracle astern and to weather.

As they approached the line Baird remained on starboard but pointed his bow straight at the committee boat. Coutts had nowhere to go and went head to wind as Baird bore off at speed right close to the committee boat.

Coutts could only follow slowly dead astern in his opponent's wake. The American boat was trailing by 40 metres just moments after the start and never threatened Alinghi as the margin opened out to 58 seconds at the second weather mark and over a minute at the finish

“We were in quite a nice position today and had plenty of time to assess the options coming on the final approach to the start,” Coutts said ruefully. “We burned up a little too much time when we didn’t need to.”

Asked if problems with his boat’s trim tab affected steering during the start, Coutts acknowledged that there was a problem with its control chain a couple of minutes before the start. “That’s not why we lost though,” he said emphatically. “No excuses. We lost the race.”

Asked if he’d return to New Zealand for a similar event, Coutts said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the racing over the last few weeks. I think it's a fantastic event and I think in these economic times the idea that Louis Vuitton and Emirates Team New Zealand have come up with where all the teams race in borrowed boats, rather than shipping boats all around the world is frankly a commercial reality. There's no question in my mind that this format works, it's something that should be looked at in future."

The results table and scoring chart for the regatta can be accessed at http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com/staging/DOWNLOADS/LVPSResults.pdf.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com has content in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, eatures and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com


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Feb 16, 2009, 10:21 AM

Post #29 of 30 (12482 views)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, 13th February, 2009

Alinghi Wins First Louis Vuitton Pacific Cup Race

Auckland – The Swiss boat Alinghi got out of jail today at the start of its first race for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series trophy, and went on to defeat the host team, Emirates Team New Zealand by 22 seconds.

Trapped outside the start line by the Kiwi boat a minute before the starting gun, the Swiss boat with American Ed Baird at the helm was able to recover and pull off an even start against her opponent. Six minutes later a wind shift put the Swiss ahead. New Zealand’s Dean Barker fought for the lead but any hopes of winning went out the window when a halyard let go and the spinnaker flew loose, costing Emirates valuable time.

Racing in the Rangitoto Channel off Auckland’s North Head started in a 17-knot south-westerly breeze that increased in strength throughout the race, building to 28 knots by the time Alinghi finished.

The Race Committee delayed the next start while it waited for conditions to moderate. However, three hours later with the wind gusting over 30 knots, it abandoned racing for the day and said it would shorten the best-of-seven final to a best-of-five. Racing will resume tomorrow.

Dean Barker and his crew dominated the challengers in the pre-start. Barker had the favoured end and used it to advantage, adroitly pinning Alinghi helmsman Ed Baird out above the line during three reaches backwards and forwards, parallel with the line and leaving Baird no escape route.

Barker wanted to start on left side of the line and broke away from Alinghi during a port reach to make a long circling turn below the committee boat and make a high speed start in the middle. The move was an opportunity for Baird to start closer to the committee boat, but with plenty of separation.

The Kiwi boat enjoyed a slight lead for long minutes and was perfectly positioned for an anticipated left shift. It never materialized and the Swiss boat edged ahead on a small right shift to dominate.

“We had them under control,” said Emirates tactician Ray Davies. “And it came to the point when we had to sail away and get a clean start. We went off the line to leeward of them, waiting for a little left shift. It didn’t actually come for us. Any kinda lefty would have let us get rid of them and control the race from there but the breeze stayed in the right.”

Barker kept it close and was on the Swiss heels, only 12 seconds astern at the weather mark. Down the run, Emirates closed and gybed into more wind pressure and a windshift that promised a significant gain. In a rare accident the gennaker halyard let go and the chute flew out to windward, costing valuable time before it the crew reset it.

“We were ready to jump them on the gybe,” Davies said. “We were calling a lot of wind pressure going into the gybe and unfortunately our spinnaker halyard slipped through the jammer and the turns on the cleat. We haven’t had that happen before. They were able to sail away.”

On the last run the breeze was up to 28 knots with the boats on the edge of control. “We recorded 18 knots and we were digging a pretty big hole,” said Davies.”
Baird retorted: “We didn’t like that big hole, so we were only doing 17. It gets pretty hairy on these boats when you’re going that fast!”

The results table and scoring chart for the regatta can be accessed at http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com/staging/DOWNLOADS/LVPSResults.pdf.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com has content in English French and Italian. Race reports, press reports, features and photographs are being updated daily. The site includes a link to live streaming radio commentary about the racing originating from Auckland’s radio BSport Sailing 103FM.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series is organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com


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Feb 16, 2009, 10:22 AM

Post #30 of 30 (12481 views)
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Saturday, 14th February, 2009

Emirates Team NZ Wins Louis Vuitton Pacific Series


Auckland - Emirates Team New Zealand today laid claim to the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, convincingly beating the Swiss team Alinghi with three consecutive wins on a grey, rainy and windy day on the Waitemata Harbour.

The home team’s come-from-behind 3-1 victory marked the end of a 15-day match racing regatta in modified America’s Cup boats that drew praise for its format and its originality from all of the nine international teams that took part.

Ship’s sirens and boat horns drowned out the cheering as the Emirates boat docked alongside the Swiss team for the last time. Emirates skipper Dean Barker accepted the silver and crystal Louis Vuitton Pacific Series trophy for his team in a Moët et Chandon, champagne-soaked ceremony watched by hundreds of spectators at the regatta village in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour.

Today’s win reversed a losing streak that saw the New Zealand team lose four out of its previous five starts. In all, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron as the organiser and host club succeeded in starting and finish 53 races for the competitors.

Brad Butterworth the Kiwi skipper and tactician for Alinghi had high praise for the event. “Its been three weeks of very good sailing here, although obviously we don’t sail very well in the rain,” Butterworth said.

“But it has been fantastic. I can’t say that enough. Today was a great day. It was a little hairy for both crews. You really saw how good the crews are. We couldn’t quite close it out today but the sailing and the competition was at a really top level and that’s what we love and that’s what we want to see more of.”

Yves Carcelle, president and CEO of Louis Vuitton Malletier refused to be drawn on whether his company would run a similar event in the future. “We don’t know for the moment what the future will be but I would like to concentrate on the last two weeks,” Carcelle said. “I think we’ve seen here a fantastic sports series. The teams respected one another in an amazing way. The level of the competition was extraordinary.”

Racing today, the Kiwi team was on fire after its loss yesterday. Barker and his tactician Ray Davies made the right calls in the first prestart, allowing them to convert an even start into the thin end of a winning wedge. Emirates beat Alinghi by 29 seconds after leading the helmsman Ed Baird and the Swiss team around the course to make the series 1-1. The defining moment came when a small left shift in the early part of the first leg gave Emirates the leverage to make a close, heart-stopping port tack cross, barely in front of the right-of-way Swiss boat. From there they covered Alinghi and worked the shifts to sail steadily away.

The breeze was at 20 knots and gusting higher at the start of the second race when Barker/Davies helm/tactician duo shut Alinghi out before the gun while laying a penalty on the hapless Swiss and then starting clear ahead. With the penalty hanging over his head, Baird worked hard stay in touch and bring the race back to the Kiwis but without success. That made the score in the best-of-five series 2-1 for Emirates.The New Zealand team was just one win away from the series victory.

Alinghi had early control of the third start but broke off to make a start near the pin, leaving the Kiwi boat to start at speed in the middle as the breeze got up to 25 knots. The Swiss enjoyed a small early advantage, getting out 23 metres in front of the New Zealanders. However when Ed Baird tacked Alinghi back on port, Emirates was there on starboard and pushed them back to the left side. Alinghi made tack after tack in their attempt to break through but were quickly on the port tack layline and had to follow Emirates into the mark, rounding 29 seconds astern. New Zealand had the upper hand and cruised to a 20-second victory.

The event web site http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com has content in English French and Italian that includes race reports, press reports, features and photographs.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series was organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland City and SKYCITY Entertainment Group.

Event website: http://www.louisvuitton-pacificseries.com
Video coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO6
Audio coverage: http://linkbee.com/CQO7

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Louis Vuitton Communication Institutionnelle
Isabella Capece Galeota/Alexandra Mendès France
Tel: +33 (1) 55 80 32 55
a.mendesfrance@fr.vuitton.com

Keith Taylor, Press Officer
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Mob: +64 (21) 534-844
keith@stevet.co.nz

Bruno Troublé
Mob: +33 (6) 61 00 43 21
bruno@coyoteandco.eu

Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand
Mob: +64 (21) 583-230
warren.douglas@emiratesteamnz.com




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