36th America's Cup: INEOS TEAM UK maintain unbeaten run in PRADA Challenger Selection Series
The British team have four victories from four starts and beat Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team by 18 seconds on Sunday. The PRADA Challenger Selection Series recommences on Friday, live on Sky Sports Mix from 2am, repeated at 9am
Monday 18 January 2021 16:24, UK
INEOS TEAM UK maintained their unbeaten run in the PRADA Challenger Selection Series by securing an 18-second victory over Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team on Sunday.
The result means that the British charge have four victories from four starts and go into the pause between round-robin weekends in the best possible position.
The PRADA Challenger Selection Series is the decisive competition which must be won in order to become the challenger to Emirates Team New Zealand in the 36th America's Cup match.
The round-robin sessions will see one team progress directly into the PRADA Cup Final with the remaining two teams then competing in a first-to-four point PRADA Cup semi-final.
The victor of the semi-final will progress into the final and the remaining two boats will enjoy a first-to-seven-points duel.
Sunday proved to be a dramatic day of racing, with the contest after INEOS TEAM UK's duel with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team featuring New York Yacht Club American Magic's race boat PATRIOT capsizing after a manoeuvre on the final mark.
The outfit were going in search of their first victory of the competition and were leading when it all went wrong. All crew members were accounted for, however, race boat PATRIOT seemed to suffer significant damage and then started to take on water.
The full extent of the damage isn't known, nor is it clear if the damage will impact the America team's continued participation in the PRADA Challenger Selection Series.
"I don't know much about what happened. I've seen a video of the manoeuvre and it's just horrific," Sir Ben Ainslie said on INEOS TEAM UK's website. "You don't want to see that happen to anyone. I think everyone is okay which is the primary concern.
"We go out there and race hard against each other but this is a sporting contest, and we want everyone to be safe and we want everyone to be racing.
"I feel for those guys, for Dean, Terry and the rest of the team and I hope they are able to sort things out and get back on track."
- NYYC American Magic suffer dramatic capsize in PRADA Cup
- Giles Scott: You have to bring your 'A-game'
'A full-on day' for INEOS TEAM UK
After three victories in succession, INEOS TEAM UK had plenty to contend with on the third race day including their initial contest against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team being abandoned.
The race was abandoned after a big wind shift, which was the result of a large rain squall sweeping across the course, just as the two boats were completing the second lap. The course was then re-set and orientated more towards the west.
Already during race days, the importance of the pre-start has been highlighted and this time Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli gained the upper hand and went through the start line first.
Interestingly, both boats then headed for opposite extremes of the course and when they came back together, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli were ahead by 10 seconds.
However, INEOS TEAM UK closed that gap by gate two, drew level going through the third gate and then made a decisive move. On the downwind leg they decided to take the right-hand side of the course, opposite to their Italian rivals.
The move paid off and opened up a 26-second advantage, which was cut, but proved to be enough to take a hard-fought fourth victory.
"That was a full-on day today. We had between five and 25 knots on the racecourse and big sea waves out in the Hauraki Gulf, Ainslie said on INEOS TEAM UK's website.
"It was a big challenge. The team did an incredible job dealing with the sea state in particular.
"We had a few near wipe outs and were very close to losing our rudder out of the water. In those conditions you just have to hang on and muscle your boat around the course and the guys did a really good job.
"In the second race we had a much better start, we liked the right-hand side of the course and we had a good fight to get it. It was a pretty even start.
"From then on it was a sailor's race for sure. In the last three days the boats have been pretty even, and the sailors have been able to make a big difference to the races.
"Giles [Scott] did a great job again. He and I have a great relationship on the boat and are working well together which is important to our continued success.
"The whole team have been incredible over these last few days. We now have to regroup, review the forecast for next weekend, identify what changes we want to make to the boat and keep improving and taking the whole team forward."
Watch every moment of the America's Cup challenge, live on Sky Sports. Coverage continues with the fourth day of the PRADA Challenger Selection Series on Friday at 2am on Sky Sports Mix, repeated again at 9am.
