America’s Cup-holder Alinghi and former champion Team New Zealand were winners on the first day of the Pacific Cup yacht regatta yesterday, but it was the fledgling Greek Challenge team that made the biggest impact.
The Greek boat, sailing in Cup-class company for the first time and helmed by New Zealander Gavin Brady, collided with Alinghi’s stern during pre-start maneuvering and was penalized a point for “hard contact,” ending the day on minus one point and last of the 10 competing teams.
Alinghi won the race by 2 minutes, 2 seconds — the largest margin of the four round-robin matches contested yesterday — though the Greek team rallied after the pre-start mishap.
PHOTO: AP
It crossed the start line ahead of Alinghi, which won the Americas Cup in Auckland in 2003 and defended it in Valencia in 2007, and claimed the favored right side of the course.
Alinghi recovered, after trailing at the port lay-line, to nudge ahead of the Greek team, by 16 seconds at the top mark of the course. Alinghi’s greater crew experience then showed as the margin was extended for the remainder of the race.
Britain’s Team Origin beat Italy’s Luna Rossa by 1 minute, 11 seconds in the other Pool B match.
Team Origin, helmed by Ben Ainslie and with Iain Percy calling tactics, took control of the match from the start and was never threatened. It led by 22 seconds at the first mark and doubled that margin on the first run downwind.
Team New Zealand led throughout its match against Damiani Italia Challenge to win by 19 seconds, while France’s Pataugas K-Challenge beat China Team by 1 minute, 2 seconds.
“It’s good to get rid of a few nerves,” New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said. “When you finally get into the racing, the first day is really hard. You know you’re reasonably prepared, but there’s always things you can’t control.”
Barker will race his former Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts when his yacht takes on BMW Oracle Racing in the feature race today.
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