Luna Rosa trails in race six

Today S and I drove from Snells Beach to Beachlandsto spend the afternoon with dear friends. She built her house on the top of a cliff many years ago. It was later that she met him, since when they have been together.

And she DID build her house. She was assisted by a friend who was a builder, but she did the majority of the work. Extensions, and renovations and a superb garden have added to what is a restful and beautiful place.

They spend many weeks on their yacht, and were unsurprisingly interested in this afternoon’s Prada Cup races. It was possible to see the dark sails of the yachts away in the distance, during the small proportion of the race where they were visible and not hidden behind the Howick peninsula. 

We watched the first race all the way through on television, and  marvelled at the technology and sailing skill that allowed these big yachts to plane on a single hydrofoil, and turn through 180 degrees with little loss of speed.

The Italian boat led the whole race, to go 5:0 up in the best of 13 competition. In today’s second race, the British boat managed to get an early lead and never lost it. I was able to get a photo (through the branches of a neighbour’s pohutukawa tree) of the British boat heading back on the 5th of six legs, and Luna Rosa still to turn and chase. Although they chased well, reducing the gap to less than 10 sec, they could not force an error, and they day ended with even spoils.

In the pause between the two races, the New Zealand boat (defender of the America’s Cup)stopped being a mere spectator an sailed at high speed from by Rangitoto to Waiheke. The sheer speed on a long straight run was awe inspiring. I managed to get a rather good photo as the boat paused before turning and sailing back more sedately