America's Cup update, Louis Vuitton Challenger series finals race 1 & 2 Emirates Team New Zealand vs Luna Rossa

America's Cup update, Emirates Team New Zealand final preperations for Louis Vuitton final against Luna Rossa

America's Cup update, Emirates Team New Zealand article and the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series press conference video

From the following article on the Emirates Team New Zealand website:

 

http://etnzblog.com/2013/08/old-rivals-square-off-for-lv-cup-final-series/

 

The Louis Vuitton Cup challengers’ series final gets underway in San Francisco on Saturday.

Emirates Team New Zealand meets old rival Luna Rossa in a best of 13 match – the team to win seven races first will win the cup.

 

Luna Rossa has had more race preparation, having beaten Artemis a 4-0 in the semi-finals round last weekend. Dean Barker and crew have not raced since the end of the round robin which gave them a ticket straight to final.

 

The New Zealand boat has been in the shed for modifications and the team  has not sailed a great deal, although recent practice sessions have been very pleasing to skipper Dean Barker

read more here

and a video of the Louis Vuitton finals press conference with Dean Barker of Emirates Team New Zealand and Max Sirena of Luna Rossa:

America's Cup update, Luna Rossa defeat Artemis Racing 4-0 in Louis Vuitton Challenger Series and progress to final against Emirates Team New Zealand

Luna Rossa has progressed to the final of the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series where they will meet Emirates Team New Zealand to decide the challenger for the America's Cup defenders Team Oracle USA:

From the following article on the excellent Sail Racing Magazine:

Artemis Racing's wave goodbye to Louis Vuitton Cup challenge after fourth loss.

 

August 10, 2013

Artemis Racing finally ran out of runway today in their Louis Vuitton Cup challenge after three penalties saw them crash out of the series 4-0 down to Luna Rossa.
Today's prestart was the most exciting yet with Artemis and Luna Rossa even colliding close to the line when Nathan Outteridge pushed too aggressively for the advantage at the start.

Artemis led comfortably off the line but as they rounded the first turning mark six seconds ahead of the Italians the jury gave them a penalty for the port and starboard incident in the start box. Busy with their first two gybes, the Artemis crew were noticed the penalty light on the back of their boat late and took a long time to exonerate themselves. With no option but to push the edges of the course Outteridge picked up two more penalties for breaking the boundary lines.

read more here

and a highlights video:

 

America's Cup update, Luna Rossa go 3-0 in Louis Vuitton Challenger Series

Luna Rossa have taken the third race in the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series putting in a very polished performance against the improving Artemis Racing. 

and an article on the race by Sail Racing Magazine:

http://www.sailracingmagazine.com/editors-blog/luna-rossa-step-up-their-game-to-beat-a-much-improved-artemis-racing-in-louis-vuitton-semifinal-race-three

America's Cup update, Luna Rossa take 2-0 lead in semi finals of Louis Vuitton Challenger series

From the following article on americascup.com by Sean McNeill

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/3/news/17125/luna-rossa-opens-2-0-lead-in-louis-vuitton-cup-semifinal

Italy's Luna Rossa Challenge helmsman Chris Draper said his team can sail “much, much better” than it did today, but it was still good enough to take a 2-0 lead in the semifinal round of the Louis Vuitton Cup, the America’s Cup Challenger Series.

Luna Rossa defeated Artemis Racing by 2 minutes and 6 seconds today in west/ southwesterly winds that averaged 11 knots. Luna Rossa tactician Francesco Bruni said the conditions were probably the lightest the team has experienced in San Francisco, and the result was a slow race. Luna Rossa completed the 15.4-nautical-mile course in 54 minutes and 26 seconds at an average speed just under 22 knots, pedestrian for the AC72.

read more here

America's Cup update, Luna Rossa defeats Artemis Racing in first match up

A short article on americascup.com covering the basics more details to follow.

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/4/events/17088/regatta-directors-briefing

UPDATE: 1410 hours

Italy’s Luna Rossa Challenge won Race 1 of the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals by 2 minutes over Artemis Racing.

Sailing for just the ninth day on its second AC72, Artemis Racing put forth a spirited effort. The Swedish team won the start and led at the first mark rounding, but Luna Rossa proved faster downwind on the day. The Italian AC72 consistently averaged 2-4 knots more boatspeed on the downwind legs, which allowed it to sail lower and faster towards the next mark.
Full report to follow.

Race performance data

• Course: Seven legs
• Course length: 15.83 nautical miles
• Elapsed time: LR – 43:20; ART – 45:20
• Total distance sailed: LR – 18.78 NM; ART – 18.69 NM
• Average speed: LR – 26.04 knots; ART – 24.75 knots
• Top speed: LR – 39.19 knots; ART – 40.56 knots
• Wind speed: average 16.1 knots; peak gust 20.4 knots

also an article submitted by Bob Fisher to Sail-World:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Louis-Vuitton-Cup:-Artemis-big-surprise-in-first-Semi-Final-race/112914

The first semi-final of the Louis Vuitton Cup was marked by a surprisingly good performance by Artemis Racing with ‘Big Blue'.

The Swedish team was beaten by Luna Rossa, but considering the relatively different amount of sailing of the two teams – 80 days for Luna Rossa to 80 hours for Artemis Racing – the two minute difference at the finish was a great deal closer than might have been expected.

What also took everyone by surprise was the aggression of Artemis helmsman, Nathan Outteridge at the start. He and his rival, Chris Draper on Luna Rossa, have sparred before – in 49er skiffs – but never before in these giant wing-sailed AC-72 catamarans. Yet with a minute to go Outteridge had made his intentions clear.

The crowd along Marina Green were treated to the sight of Artemis ahead and to windward of Luna Rossa, and determined to maintain this advantage. Draper, it seemed, did not 'pull the trigger' fast enough and Artemis’ timing was right on the button, crossing the starting line within a second of gunfire and there was a clear boat’s length of water between the two.

read more here

America's Cup update, Louis Vuitton Challenger series Luna Rossa versus Artemis Racing

Luna Rossa and Artemis Racing are racing for the first time in the challenger series.

America's Cup update, Glenn Ashby takes a turn at helming Emirates Team New Zealand AC72 catamaran while Dean Barker has a break

From the following article submitted to Sail-World by Bob Fisher:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Louis-Vuitton-Cup:-Cheap-point-for-new-helmsman/112531

For the first time in the Louis Vuitton Cup races for six years, Dean Barker was absent from the wheel of Emirates Team New Zealand, and his place as helmsman was taken by Glenn Ashby, normally the wing trimmer.

Ashby’s credentials for the job are more than sufficient, having won 14 world championships in three multihull classes and ten Australian A-class catamaran championships.

read more here

America's Cup update, Louis Vuitton Challenger series - round robin 3 - RACE 3, 21 July 2013

Emirates Team New Zealand have once again walked away with the points soundly beating Luna Rossa in their latest race as part of the Louis Vuitton Challenger series:



Also an article on the race submitted to Sail-World by Richard Gladwell

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Louis-Vuitton-Cup:-Drama-as-Emirates-Team-NZ-score-decisive-win/112230

There was drama on the America's Cup course for the final race of Round 3 of the Louis Vuitton Cup, when Emirates Team NZ blew up her jib, and had to race without a headsail for much of the seven leg course.

read more here

America's Cup update, Team New Zealand racking up Louis Vuitton Challenger series points

From the following article submitted to Sail-World from the ETNZ.blog

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Louis-Vuitton-Cup:-Five-points-and-new-speed-record-for-Emirates-TNZ/112132

Emirates Team New Zealand collected another round robin point at San Francisco today.

Five points from five starts – four races not being contested – and Emirates Team New Zealand - is at the top of leaderboard with five points, with Luna Rossa on two and Artemis zero.

Richard Meacham sailed on the bow today, replacing Adam Beashel who was trimming the wing. Glenn Ashby who usually trims the wing watched proceedings from a chase boat.

The forecast was for the fog to clear and the breeze to get into the upper wind range. With an ebb tide against the breeze, teams expected more of a sea state than that experienced in recent days.

read more here

America's Cup update, Emirates Team New Zealand complete first race of the Louis Vuitton series

From the following Sail Racing Magazine article posted July 7, 2013
        

http://www.sailracingmagazine.com/editors-blog/emirates-team-new-zealand-put-on-ac72-masterclass-despite-racing-alone   

The fact that their Italian opponent Luna Rossa didn't turn up to race them didn't stop Dean Barker's Emirates Team Emirates New Zealand crew from putting on a spectacular masterclass on how to sail the new breed of AC72 America's Cup catamarans today in San Francisco.

Barker and his crew were clearly in full race mode and not holding back much if at all despite being left racing alone after Max Sirena's Luna Rossa team opted not to race 'on principle' until their protest against rule changes has been heard by an international ISAF jury.

Barker's boys entered the pre-start bang on the two minute gun and after pulling the trigger a few seconds before the starting signal they blitzed across the start line at 30+ knots.

read more here

There is also a video of the first race.  Note this video might not play in all regions.



And a highlights video from Emirates Team New Zealand


 

America's Cup update, ETNZ new video one week to go to first official race of the Louis Vuitton Series

America's Cup update, Team Artemis latest news

Artemis Racing 3 months till the start of the Louis Vuitton Challenger series:

From the following Sail-World article

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Americas-Cup:-Artemis-Racing-Update---Three-months-left-to-LVC/108366

With only three months until the start of the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series, Artemis Racing has been busy training and preparing for racing, which begins in San Francisco on July 4th.

The team spent the majority of March in the shed modifying our AC72 and turning a standard AC45 into a foiling AC45. We expedited our time to get onto a foiling boat by modifying an AC45 while we wait for our second AC72 which will fully foil.

In April, we will continue to train on the foiling AC45, while also sailing our first AC72 and learning about all its recent modifications. This is a very valuable part of our preparation for our second AC72.  We also plan to train with OracleTeamUSA on the Bay to see how our modifications have impacted our boat speed and handling.

Time on the water is crucial for our team so when weather or maintenance permits us from sailing the AC72 or 45 we have a small fleet of F18's and Moths to train on.

read more here

More images of Artemis Racing's AC72 in action.  No full foiling implemented as yet that may be for boat no.2

From the following Sail-World article

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Americas-Cup:-Images-of-a-revamped-Artemis-Racing-in-San-Fran/108367