Alinghi advances to America's Cup final
DENNIS PASSA
Associated Press Writer
Saturday, January 18, 2003
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(01-18) 22:31 PST AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) --
Oracle was finished before it even started the last race of the America's Cup challenger final.
Taking advantage of Oracle's penalty during pre-start maneuvers, Switzerland's Alinghi advanced to the final against Team New Zealand with a 5-1 victory in the best-of-nine series.
Alinghi crossed the finish line less than 10 seconds ahead of its San Francisco rival, but the victory margin grew to 2 minutes, 34 seconds after Oracle took its penalty turn.
"I think we had a very good tactical series, particularly near the end," Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts said. "We were two very good teams, but I think we capitalized on our opportunities more than they did. I think that was the key."
While Oracle completed the penalty turn, Coutts -- lured away from Team New Zealand -- and his winning crew shouted loudly, sprayed champagne and drank beer.
Later, as the boats were towed into Viaduct Basin for the victory ceremony and Louis Vuitton Cup trophy presentation, Oracle's crew applauded Alinghi as the yachts drew close.
Oracle's loss leaves the America's Cup without a U.S. boat in the final for the second straight time after American yachts participated in all previous finals in the 152-year-old event.
It also is the third time in four challenger series that the winner has come from Europe -- Italy in 1992 and 2000 and Alinghi. Team New Zealand won the challenger series in 1995 and went on to beat Dennis Conner and the San Diego Yacht Club.
After the race Sunday was delayed by nearly hours due to light wind, Oracle was penalized before the start for not keeping clear during pre-start maneuvers, causing the yachts to nearly collide.
"He got one, he got one," Alinghi tactician Brad Butterworth shouted to his crew even before the flag indicating a penalty to Oracle went up.
Alinghi will attempt to end New Zealand's hold on sport's oldest trophy in the nine-race final scheduled to begin Feb. 15. New Zealand has won the last two regattas, in 1995 off San Diego and in 2000 in Auckland.
Oracle led for the first two legs Sunday without taking its penalty, but fell behind after three legs, marking the fourth time in the series that the San Francisco boat lost the lead.
Alinghi won the start by a second in nine knots of wind as it went up the committee boat side and headed for the right side of the course. Oracle took the left, but when the yachts crossed, Oracle had a lead of about a boat-length and led after the first mark by 15 seconds.
Oracle doubled its lead early in the second leg, but Alinghi closed the gap as the blue light flashed on the umpire's boat indicating that Oracle's needed to complete the penalty turn.
Alinghi, unable to do much to cut into Oracle's lead, trailed by 28 seconds after two legs. On the third leg, Alinghi threw a half-dozen tacks at Oracle to try to get cut into the lead.
Alinghi closed the margin when it the wind fell dramatically around Oracle, which was sailing about 150 meters away. Oracle took a 10-second lead after the third leg, its first lead in the six-leg, 18.5-nautical-mile race.
"I'll tell you, the shift didn't save us, in the end he (Oracle) just died in the corner," Butterworth told Alinghi's crew of the wind drop.
Alinghi increased the margin to 24 seconds after four legs and regardless of the lead, Alinghi could sail confidently knowing Oracle had to take the penalty turn.
On the final leg as Oracle closed on Alinghi, Oracle skipper Chris Dickson said "we can still win this thing." But Alinghi held its lead through a number of gybes.
Oracle's campaign ended after 34 races, including a 12-4 record in the round-robin series and an 8-0 mark in two playoff series against OneWorld of Seattle.
Oracle lost all four races to Alinghi in the first semifinal round and wasn't able to solve the Swiss boat in the challenger final.
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