Heavyweight deadlock

The decision to utilise the first Reserve Day of the Louis Vuitton Cup proved to be a far-sighted one by Race Director, Iain Murray, as perfect conditions greeted INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli today for the fourth day of their epic, locked-in battle to win the Louis Vuitton Cup.

The ‘Garbi’ south-westerly wind was in, and, crucially, just below the wind-limit of 21 knots. With relatively flat water the two starts both got underway on time, with the racing taking place beneath a cloudless sky and with the stunning Barcelona beachfront as a shimmering backdrop. The British and Italian fans who have travelled to Barcelona packed the Race Village and Fanzones, cheering on their countrymen passionately and colourfully, mirroring the on-water action and tensely lapping-up the action.

With the series tied at 2-2 at the start of the day, the British Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia, took the tally to 3-2 after an opening race where accuracy of execution was rewarded. Sir Ben Ainslie pulled off a classic match-race move deep in the pre-start box, powering over the bow of Luna Rossa in the final 30 seconds to the start.