Day 4 Race Report - Race 4
April 6, 2007

2.8 miles course, on 80 degree bearing.  Moderate sea conditions, 12 knots wind.  11 boats in the starting sequence, as +39 stayed in their base to repair mast damage.  Two minutes before the start, many boats getting ready to start at the pin end.

Good timing for all the fleet at the gun, but Areva, Desafío and China Team struggled at the committee boat, and the Spanish receive a penalty for touching the Chinese.  Luna Rossa must perform such a 360 degree penalty turn for a similar incident with the Chinese as well.  On the way up, Mascalzone is the furthest on the left, with Oracle on their starboard hip.

More breeze on the right, with UITG and Luna Rossa  leading the group on that side of the course.

A shift to the right and then a shift back to the left, as the boats exchange the lead according to live sailing.

Huge separation, as Luna Rossa approaches the starboard layline, only 10 minutes after the start.

Another left shift hits the fleet, and Alinghi and Oracle look good in the center of the course.

These two boats converge, as Alinghi crosses on port around two boat lengths ahead of the Americans. Then it's ETNZ who tack to close to Oracle... Penalty ETNZ !

In the center of the course, Shosholoza on port has to duck behind Alinghi, coming on starboard. These are the two leaders according to live sailing, followed by BMW Oracle and Mascalzone.

Coming on starboard layline, the South African gets ready to cross behind Alinghi who tack right on their face.
On the left hand side, Mascalzone comes on port, and tack underneath the Swiss and get blanketed by the Swiss. They slice inside Shosholoza who is forced to leave some room to the Italians. With superior speed, the South African recoup the second spot on the dogleg.

At the windward mark, it's Alinghi leading, followed by Shosholoza, ML, Oracle, Luna Rossa, Victory and ETNZ, 1 min 14 s after the Defender.

Sailing downwind on starboard gybe with an A-sail, the Swiss extend their lead, with Shosholoza, Mascalzone, BMW Oracle following within 150 meters.

Halfway down the leg, the fleet is quite scattered across the race course, with Alinghi sailing relatively lower than the other boats as they gybe on the starboard layline.

Then it's Shosholoza with Oracle on their neck.  Jib is up, spinnaker down in 9 seconds, as the Swiss round the left side of the downwind gate.  Mascalzone rounds the same mark, as Shosholoza and Oracle round the right side.

Minutes later, Shosholoza on starboard forces an approaching Mascalzone to tack away.  The Swiss lead in the center, while Emirates Team New Zealand escapes to the far left of the course.  Alinghi continues to lead.

The fleet tacks its way towards mark 3, as the course is hit by short shifts from both sides. With a different option, BMW Oracle and Shosholoza sail to the left of the course, looking for a left shift.

On Live Sailing, it's Mascalzone and Luna Rossa who made the most progress in center-right, despite Alinghi extended their lead to 8 boatlengths as they sail on the starboard layline.

Alinghi well ahead, then Mascalzone, Luna Rossa, BMW Oracle at the second weather mark.

On the way down, Alinghi sails on port toward the finish line, with a comfortable 1 minute advantage over Mascalzone, who is in turn 3 boat lengths ahead of Luna Rossa.  Now Alinghi by 300m.

From them on, its a pure boatspeed race, with all teams sailing on port gybe. Mascalzone seem to defend their second place, while Oracle makes good progress towards closing the gap on Luna Rossa.

Gun ! Alinghi win their third race in this Act 13.

Alinghi finishes first, Mascalzone second, a minute and seven seconds behind the Swiss.  And then BMW Oracle and Luna Rossa fight for the finish, with the Americans on the pin end....Photo finish: Luna Rossa third by a nose over BMW Oracle.  ENTZ 5th, UITG 6th, Shosholoza 7th, Victory 8th, Desafío 9th, Areva 10th, China 11th.