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4:53 AM Tue 10 Feb 2009 GMT
Racing has been called off for the day in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series.
The breeze remained after the completion of two races this morning, however shifted from a northwesterly direction to a northerly and then north easterly direction, the source of the usual seabreeze.
That wind failed to materialise out of the grey murk, in spite of a dark horizon (normally the sign of increasing wind strength. The seas increased in size, another sign of wind to come. But despite having all the right indicators the breeze never really arrived in a form steady enough in strength and direction for the Principal Race Officer, Peter Reggio.
The long wait in warm, damp and humid conditions ended at 1600 hours.
At an impromptu media conference after the racing, Team Origin's Mike Sanderson said that they had seen variations in windstrength of 4 to 13kts and about 70degrees variation in direction over the day.
While waiting off Takapuna Beach for the breeze to settle, Sanderson said they were seeing a 40 degree variation in direction and substantial variation in strength which never stayed at one strength for more than five minutes.
'We were very happy not to race again in those conditions, and full marks to Peter Reggio for sticking to his guns, and waiting to see if the breeze would settle before calling it off for the day,' said Sanderson.
It was later revealed that the winning margin for Luna Rossa over China Team was just 20cms after Luna Rossa had to complete a penalty turn before finishing. Helmsman Peter Holmberg said he was 'very comfortable' about taking a penalty in such circumstances, if required, adding that he knew what was required in such a situation - made more complex by the fact that the turn was done against the tide, meaning that the sharp penalty turn caused to the boat to be near motionless at its completion, in a situation not too dissimilar to the postion of Emirates Team New Zealand right on the finish line of the final race in the 22007 America's Cup.
However this time there was a different outcome with Holmberg just able to squeez across the finish line ahead of a fast finishing China Team, who have exited the regatta as a result.
Quarter final and semi final races will now be sailed tomorrow, Wednesday.
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com
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