Sailing: Shosholoza steam home
Wednesday, 25 April 2007
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Racing at last resumed in the America's Cup yesterday and immediately produced an upset. Having rattled the unbeaten leaders BMW Oracle, the debutants from South Africa, Shosholoza, made no mistakes this time in defeating another of the top three, the challenger in 2000, now renamed Luna Rossa.
There was no drama or emotion, just a clean start on what proved to be the favoured left hand side of the track, no handling errors, which cost them victory against the Americans, and proof that their revamped boat, designed by Britain's Jason Ker, is up there with the pack.
After eight days of more stop than start in which just three sets of five races had been completed, the weather conditions more typical of a Mediterranean summer clicked in with an eight-knot breeze to boost optimism and blow away the clouds of gloom and frustration surrounding the specially revamped harbour.
As the South Africans notched up their second win of the day, BMW Oracle and Luna Rossa were fighting out the closest finish so far of the Louis Vuitton knockout. Speeds were even all the way round but Oracle's Chris Dickson always had rival James Spithill under control. The six-second margin completed Luna Rossa's misery.
The German team scored their first win, against Team China, but, unfortunately, live television coverage back home had already been axed because of repeatedly abandoned racing. The Chinese have made it clear they are taking a much longer view.