Drama on fifth day of Louis Vuitton Cup Final as British and Italians remain even at 4-4

The Louis Vuitton Cup Final between INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli is starting to resemble the most tense of penalty shoot-outs. Every time one team feels they have the upper-hand, the other responds and at the end of another truly outstanding day of super-high-octane racing in Barcelona, it’s all square at 4-4 in this first-to-seven points series.

In a shifting ‘Garbi’ south-westerly breeze that tested the upper wind-limit of 21 knots, the first race got underway with INEOS Britannia coming into the start from the port end, crossing Luna Rossa and then tacking around to take the trailing position.

The Italians went deep into the pre-start box, hunted closely by Britannia, but then executed a fine – and very sharp – turn-up, catching the British by surprise to assume the windward position off the start line. Early advantage went to Luna Rossa who won the bow-to-bow drag race out to the port boundary, before executing a devastating tack right to leeward of Britannia and with metres gained immediately they forced the British to tack away.