JP Morgan’s turn to pitchpole

With 15-20 knots WSW wind predicted, there were some 25 knot gusts to greet the iShares Cup fleet took to the water for the final afternoon’s series of races. Having been onboard with Team Holmatro this morning, it was easy to appreciate how it doesn’t take much to make these fearsome machines turn over – especially in the Solent’s welcoming wind against tide conditions! And in the second race it was JP Morgan, skippered by Paul Campbell Jones in Shirley Robertson’s absence, who produced the first spectacle, pitch-poling after rounding the windward mark, and snapping their mast. Following suit during the same race was Frank Cammas sailing one of the two BMW Oracle boats. Fortunately their support Rib was quick enough to the rescue to get them upright and sailing again. Her sistership skippered by James Spithill, took the first two wins of the day (races 11 and 12) to eat into Alinghi’s overall lead, with Team Origin looking very sharp in the gusty conditions, with two seconds. Racing is set to continue until around 1730 this evening, but with double points on offer for the final race, overall victory looks like it won’t be decided until the final leg of the final race.