BMW Oracle storms past Alinghi 5 in first race of America's Cup

The challenger in the America's Cup gave the defender a lesson in technology and multihull sailing in the first race off the Spanish coast . It was a drubbing, the like of which has not been seen in this competition since the mismatch of Dennis Conner's catamaran and New Zealand's 132ft monohull in 1988. It was a surprise to most observers but BMW Oracle Racing's trimaran was eminently superior to Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi 5 catamaran. Within the first minute of the pre-start Alinghi 5 was in trouble, trapped in a right-of-way situation by an aggressive Jimmy Spithill, the BMW Oracle skipper, and penalised by the umpires. Spithill, however, had slightly overcooked and he stalled the big trimaran. He thus started one minute and 27 seconds in arrears – a matter of 660 metres. That deficit disappeared quickly in a 7-8 knot breeze and after 18 minutes of the race, the trimaran was ahead. By the time the two boats rounded the mark, after 20 miles, BMW Oracle was 2,140m ahead, a matter of 3:21 and with a penalty turn still to take. On the downwind leg, BMW Oracle proved faster and able to sail closer towards the finish line – a devastating ability. She finished eight and a half minutes in front.