Thursday, June 07, 2007

"Luna Rossa" in Full Eclipse, Loses Finals 5-0: New Zealand to meet "Alinghi" for Cup

The ANNOTICO Report

After a tight race one in the challengers' final against Luna Rossa, skipper Dean Barker and his crew have won every other contest by a comfortable margin.

In the first four races against Luna Rossa have been held in winds under 14 knots. The readings were particularly light for the last two races, being in single figures.<o:p></o:p> In the Fourth race  the margin of victory was 52 seconds, was sailed in a tricky six to nine-knot breeze and Luna Rossa mainsail trimmer Jonathan McKee said the conditions suited NZL92.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> In the Fifth Race,  The Kiwi team finished 22 seconds ahead to win a fifth straight regatta.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> The Finishes were all respectable. The Result was disappointing<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:country-region w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:country-region> Beats <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>, Earns <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s Cup Rematch <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Bloomberg News<o:p></o:p> By Alex Duff   <o:p></o:p> June 6, 2007 <o:p></o:p> June 6 (Bloomberg) -- Team New Zealand beat <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s Luna Rossa 5-0 today to earn the chance to win back the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s Cup sailing trophy it lost to Alinghi four years ago. <o:p></o:p> The Kiwi team finished 22 seconds ahead to win a fifth straight regatta off the coast of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Valencia</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region>. It finished first in the 11-team Louis Vuitton Cup qualifying competition that began April 20. <o:p></o:p> <st1:country-region w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:country-region> will contest sailing<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s oldest and most prestigious prize with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Switzerland</st1:place></st1:country-region><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s Alinghi in the best-of-nine match beginning June 23. <o:p></o:p> ``It<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s fantastic to win the Louis Vuitton, it<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s been 12 years since our last win in it,<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName> Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said, according to Agence France-Presse. ``We<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>ve got past some strong challengers but we<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>ve still got a lot to do to get past Alinghi.<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName> <o:p></o:p> After crossing the finish line at the televised race, Kiwi sailors shook hands and slapped each other on the back. On shore, dozens of their compatriots cheered and waved the country<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s flag. <o:p></o:p> In a tight start in winds as low as seven knots (eight miles-per-hour), the lead changed hand twice before New Zealand finished the first leg 20 seconds ahead. <o:p></o:p> With Luna Rossa seeking to prolong the best-of-nine final and avoid a whitewash, the Kiwi team didn<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>t extend its lead until the fourth and final stage. <o:p></o:p> Seeks Revenge <o:p></o:p> ``Our boat was fast enough today, we tried everything to the line but in the end couldn<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>t do anything,<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName> Luna Rossa<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s Torben Grael said, according to Agence France-Presse. ``They always had the advantage. I think <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region> have a chance against Alinghi as they<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>ve had an easy enough competition in this.<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName> <o:p></o:p> <st1:country-region w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:country-region> will try to rebound from its 5-0 loss in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Auckland</st1:place></st1:City> to Alinghi and Swiss skipper Russell Coutts. Coutts had led the Kiwis to the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s Cup in 1995 and 2000. <o:p></o:p> Alinghi, owned by billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, terminated Coutts<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s contract in July 2004. In a subsequent accord he agreed not to participate for any team at this year<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s Cup. <o:p></o:p> Luna Rossa, backed by Prada Holdings NV and Telecom Italia SpA, lost to <st1:country-region w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:country-region> in the 2000 <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s Cup. <o:p></o:p> <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.K.</st1:country-region> bookmaker William Hill rates Alinghi an 8-15 favorite to win the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s Cup, a successful $15 bet producing a profit of $8. Team <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region> is 11-8. <o:p></o:p> ``The Swiss team will have the psychological advantage after beating Team NZ 5-0 in the 2003 final,<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName><st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName> Hill<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s spokesman Rupert Adams said in a release. <o:p></o:p> To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Duff in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Madrid</st1:State></st1:place> at at <a href="mailto:aduff4@bloomberg.net">aduff4@bloomberg.net</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=%2020601081&sid=aGAHPbl96E_w&refer=australia">http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= </a><o:p></o:p> <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=%2020601081&sid=aGAHPbl96E_w&refer=australia">20601081&sid=aGAHPbl96E_w&refer=australia</a> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> The ANNOTICO Reports Can be Viewed and are Fully Archived at:<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Italia <st1:country-region w:st="on">USA</st1:country-region>: <a href="http://www.ItaliaUSA.com">http://www.ItaliaUSA.com</a> (Formerly Italy at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">St Louis</st1:place></st1:City>)<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> The ANNOTICO Reports Can be Viewed at <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Italia Mia: <a href="http://www.ItaliaMia.com">http://www.ItaliaMia.com</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Blogspot: <a href="http://annoticoreport.blogspot.com">http://annoticoreport.blogspot.com</a><o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Annotico Email: <a href="mailto:annotico@earthlink.net">annotico@earthlink.net</a><o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> </div> </body> </html>