By HERALD STAFF
Alinghi is just two wins away from reaching the America's Cup match after a dramatic win over Oracle BMW Racing to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-nine Louis Vuitton Cup challengers finals.
Oracle led Alinghi on the water for significant parts of the race, but they copped a penalty on the second run after failing to stay clear of the Swiss, and the punishment proved decisive.
It was a welcome boost to the finals series, with the challengers regatta suffering from a lack of close tussles since it started in October and Alinghi winning the first two races of the finals series decisively.
Oracle elected for an afterguard switch for the third race, and with Peter Holmberg helming and Chris Dickson calling the tactics, billionaire Larry Ellison's crew showed just how competitive they could be against Alinghi in today's lighter airs on the Hauraki Gulf.
And the action started early.
Alinghi jumped out to a perfect start, but the protest flags began waving part-way down the first beat as the two boats embarked on a drag race.
A left-hand shift propelled Oracle into a handy lead - the first time they had pipped Alinghi in the series except for over the start-line - but skipper Russell Coutts called for a burst of speed and the more powerful SUI64 eased past.
The Swiss enjoyed an eight second advantage on the first beat, but on the downwind run Oracle applied intense pressure which they maintained for two more legs with neither boat able to break clear.
The decisive moment came on the fourth leg, with Alinghi fighting off a rampant Oracle.
Dickson constantly complained the Alinghi boat was failing to sail a proper course for the mark, imploring the umpires for a penalty but his calls went unrewarded.
Then what seemed like a judgement error from Holmberg proved costly. As the two boats raced for the mark, the onus was on Oracle to stay clear.
Instead their bow crashed into Alinghi's stern in a hefty blow which had the Swiss waving their protest flags and the umpires responding.
It should have secured the race for Alinghi, but the American team managed to slip inside Alinghi at the mark and head into the fifth leg a mere eight seconds ahead. A favourable wind shift meant that advantage was extended to 29 seconds at the top mark, and Oracle made the call to try and execute their penalty on the finish line.
But they could not propel themselves far enough ahead of Alinghi, and in trying to complete their turn on the line, had to watch as the Swiss edged across one second clear.
For Oracle, the finish got worse. They clipped the buoy at the line, incurring a second penalty and finishing one minute and one second behind.
The winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup will challenge Team New Zealand for the America's Cup in a best-of-nine series beginning February 15.
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Racing schedule, results and standings
Alinghi takes third challenger final
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