| Victorious Swedes and perfect Kiwis rule the day in Valencia |
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 Sweden's Victory Challenge was the story of the day in Valencia on Sunday when skipper Magnus Holmberg's team was able to beat the defender of the America's Cup in a hard fought match. It was a tremendous win for the Swede's who handed Alinghi just its fifth loss from 51 starts.The unexpected win is almost like a bonus point for Victory Challenge while Alinghi's loss clears the top of the leaderboard for Emirates Team New Zealand, who are now the only team with a perfect record after four days of Louis Vuitton Act 12. Conditions were excellent for racing on the waters off Valencia. A moderate to strong sea breeze developed, the 14 to 19 knot Southeasterly whipping up choppy waves outside the Port America's Cup. Victory Challenge enjoyed a hero's welcome on their return to the Port, the large crowds lining the balconies on the Veles e Vents building cheering their momentous win over the Swiss defender of the America's Cup. With Monday a scheduled reserve day, the Swedes can enjoy their celebrations well into the Spanish night. FLIGHT SEVEN In the battle of the Holmbergs, Peter Holmberg at the helm of Alinghi nearly drove Magnus Holmberg and Victory Challenge over the start line. The Swedes just managed to squeak over the line as the gun fired and they accelerated up to level terms with the defender as they broke out to opposite sides of the course. While everyone expected Alinghi to put the hammer down and eke out a lead from Victory, it never happened as the Swedes revelled in the strongest breeze of the Louis Vuitton Acts this year. Victory continued to lead down the run, although a fluffed spinnaker drop at the leeward gate nearly handed the lead back to Alinghi. Once again up the beat the Swedes seized control, until the very final stages when Alinghi climbed back into contention and launched into a luffing match. But Magnus Holmberg wriggled free and steered around the final mark in front. The Swedes were the faster boat downwind and sailed to an unexpected 21-second victory over the formidable Defenders. When +39 Challenge stuck a penalty on BMW ORACLE Racing in the pre-start, there seemed a good chance that a close match would ensue. However Chris Dickson showed the true speed of USA 87 to speed away up the track, to the point where he was far enough ahead to offload the penalty up the final beat, with a safe lead still intact. The Americans escaped embarrassment by the thrusting Italian team, as they sailed to an easy victory. The match between Desafío Español 2007 and Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team was billed as the 'battle for fifth', but things went surprisingly easily for the Spanish whose new boat looked fast in the breeze. When the Italians trawled their spinnaker at the windward mark, the Spanish extended even further and won by half a kilometre. The other matches were one-sided events, Luna Rossa beating Areva Challenge, Emirates Team New Zealand beating United Internet Team Germany, and Shosholoza overcoming an early lead by the China Team, who eventually pulled out with mainsail halyard problems. FLIGHT EIGHT Buoyed from that victory over Alinghi, Victory Challenge was pumped up for another win against Team Shosholoza. But the South Africans weren't going to give it to the Swedes on a plate, and the two closely-matched teams engaged in a fierce tacking duel up the first beat. Shosholoza looked to have the upper hand until Victory turned the tables on their rivals just before the windward mark, rounding nine seconds ahead. Down the next run Shosholoza closed the gap and initiated an aggressive luffing match towards the leeward gate. However, they lost control of the spinnaker and rounded with the genoa sheet led inside the shroud, preventing them from sheeting in the jib properly. Victory seized the advantage and maintained a two or three boatlength advantage until the dying stages of the final leg when spinnaker problems gave South African fans a glimmer of hope. But the Swedes held on for another win on an amazing day for the men in black. Karol Jablonski very nearly cleaned Dean Barker out at the start of the Desafío Español match against Emirates Team New Zealand, but Barker just managed to start behind the line at the gun and it was an even split-tack start. The lead ebbed and flowed between the two teams as the wind shifted from one side to the other. Towards the top of the leg, the advantage appeared to be to the Spanish but Barker managed to climb on to their starboard hip near the windward mark. Desafío started a luffing duel to shut Emirates out, but having seemingly done enough, ESP 88 was very slow through the tack and Jablonski failed to cross a rapidly accelerating NZL 84. The Umpires pinned an immediate penalty on the Spanish, handing an immediate six-boatlength lead to the Kiwis which they would maintain to the finish. The match between Areva Challenge and Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team was close in the early stages. But gradually the Italians found a small edge and stretched out to an unchallenged lead for a 1:03 win. United Internet Team Germany made a good start of their fight with Luna Rossa, with Jesper Bank holding the power of the right. However, when he tacked too close to the Italians and was given a penalty, the Germans knew that was all but the end of the match. And it was, the Italians sailing off to a clear victory. Alinghi led from start to finish against +39 Challenge, while equipment problems aboard China Team handed a walkover win to BMW ORACLE Racing. Related Items:
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