The Italians crossed ahead and led around the top mark only to be rolled downwind by Alinghi who lengthened the lead even further when Luna Rossa Challenge had problems with their spinnaker drop. Alinghi managed to take the penalty turn and cross the line with 25 seconds on the clock. The next race against Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia Team was a lead from the start of 33 seconds extended to 1 minute 7 seconds at the finish.

We asked Jochen Schuemann, helmsman for this regatta and Alinghi sports director how he felt with his first Act win.
“I had a good team around me, a good team on the boat, a good team ashore preparing the boat well. We are a little step ahead, so we have won already here a day in advance. I’m quite satisfied! The most exciting race this morning against Luna Rossa was a tough one, we got an early penalty, but we found a way to get rid of it and still do the penalty and win, it was a great performance – but it was a tough one, tougher than we would have wanted”.

A word on tomorrow against Emirates Team New Zealand?
“Tomorrow’s race is obviously not important to win the series anymore, but for our team it is important to sail well. Emirates Team New Zealand is one of our toughest competitors so we will have to do very well to get that win as well”.

We asked Brad Butterworth, Alinghi vice-president and tactician, how he felt with another big win.
“It’s pretty important, I feel quite proud to be a member of this team. We rolled from the regatta in Valencia and have kept up some momentum of having a different crew and running a squad with different people on board each time. This result is a pretty good testament to how strong this team is”.

It looked like you wanted the right hand side of the course in the Luna Rossa Match – but didn’t get it?
“We wanted the right and we wound up getting the left which wasn’t as good for us and that is what started the whole issue with Prada, they were quite strong there on the right. The right dominated all day. But Jochen sailed well and we kept going and got to where we wanted to be”.

How do you feel going into tomorrow having already won the Act?
“We’ll go into to tomorrow just the same as all the rest, we have to race Emirates Team New Zealand and they’re pretty strong and it will be good if we can beat them – for sure we want to beat them”.

How is it to be sailing with your best mates for over 20 years and still winning?
“There are a lot of differences made in a team and having those guys around is fantastic because they make the boat faster and the job easier. It’s not rocket science to them. They’ve been doing it for a long time and have been coming up with the goods for a long time. We’ve got a great relationship and they are life long friends. It’s just great to be in a team with them”.

Is this strength of relationship what makes you so good?
“Well, I would say that is a big part of it but now Alinghi has a bit of longevity in terms of its team and we’ve got some great characters on board in terms of Francesco Rapetti, Curtis Blewett and a bunch of other guys with whom the relationship is really strong and we can sail well together no matter what”.