Star Sailors League: Razor-thin margins in the SSL Gold Cup Semi-Finals

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Semi Final 1

The four nations lined up perfectly on starboard in the 12 knots breeze in a battle of boatspeed, with the British ‘Spitfires’ squeezed between the ‘Dutch Lions’ and Italy’s ‘Gladiators’, while the ‘Brazilian Storm’ were slightly separated to the left.

The onboard cameras were just showing feet as every sailor was hiked over the side, trying to power the SSL 47 yachts to the maximum.

It was nearly six minutes before we saw the first tack, with ‘Brazilian Storm’ crossing over first, having to duck the ‘Gladiators’ and ‘Spitfires’, while the ‘Dutch Lions’ followed suit and also tacked away. The Italian and British teams delayed until they were near the port layline.

The ‘Dutch Lions’ showed a turn of speed to move ahead of the ‘Brazilian Storm’, as the ‘Gladiators’ started to control the ‘Spitfires’. Could the top two break away and seal a place in the Final?

The ‘Dutch Lions’ rounded first with the ‘Gladiators’ having to make a huge last-minute duck on port, tacking just in front of the ‘Brazilian Storm’ with the ‘Spitfires’ on their tail in last.

Downwind the powerful yachts were surfing the waves, testing the trimmers and grinders to the limit. Brazil went left, Great Britain went right, while Italy and the leading Netherlands team went down the middle.

When the ‘Dutch Lions’ gybed on to starboard they forced the ‘Gladiators’ across with them, bringing the ‘Brazilian Storm’ and ‘Spitfires’ back into the game. The teams evenly split at the leeward gate; The Netherlands and Great Britain choosing the offshore right hand side of the upwind leg, while Italy and Brazil went inshore.

The ‘Spitfires’ then tacked on to starboard in a lift, forcing ‘Brazilian Storm’ to tack away. In the increased swell each manoeuvre was proving costly, and this engagement came at the price of vital metres, handing the initiative back to the ‘Dutch Lions’ and ‘Gladiators’.

The Italian ‘Gladiators’ took the lead, tacking on top of the ‘Dutch Lions’, but the top two had pulled out a 100 metre lead over the ‘Spitfires’ and ‘Brazilian Storm’ at the final windward mark.

The ‘Spitfires’ had 19 seconds to make up on the final downwind leg, but the ‘Dutch Lions’ gybed away early – would this open the door for a comeback?

The Netherlands team gybed in towards the finish with 500 metres to go, Italy just ahead of them, and the ‘Gladiators’ and ‘Dutch Lions’ surfed across the finish line and into the final.

Semi Final 2

After a cagey line up the Hungarian ‘Shamans’ had the best start at the committee boat end with pace, the French ‘Les Bleus’ were in the middle and New Zealand’s ‘Guardians’ winning the pin, but it was a terrible start for the home nation Spain, in the fleet’s disturbed wind and late.

The Spanish ‘La Armada’ team tacked early on to port, hitching up 200 metres to try and get back in the game, while ‘Les Bleus’ were also forced to tack away after falling into the ‘Shamans’ cover.

With the rain clouds coming through, there was a big drop in the wind, followed by a left wind shift, resulting in the ‘Guardians’ and ‘Shamans’ reaching on port into the windward mark with ‘La Armada’ just behind. ‘Les Bleus’, who had gone right, were 600 metres behind at the windward mark and out of contention.

Disaster then struck for New Zealand’s ‘Guardians’, who pulled their spinnaker pole out early and were awarded a 360 degree penalty, dropping them from first to third. Advantage to the ‘Shamans’ and ‘La Armada’.

The ‘Shamans’ executed a perfect spinnaker drop in the rainy conditions at the leeward gate, with ‘La Armada’ choosing the left buoy in second and the ‘Guardians’ following the same upwind course as the Hungarians.

At the first cross ‘La Armada’ had caught right up to the ‘Shamans’, tacking on top of them and forcing the Hungarian team back on to starboard. Every tack was causing the yachts to slow, but with the shifting wind, being in the right place at the right time was key. The ‘Shamans’ couldn’t afford to separate too far from ‘La Armada’ and the ‘Guardians’ so later tacked back on to port, trying to protect their qualifying position.

As the Hungarians returned on port to meet the Spanish and New Zealand teams it couldn’t have been closer, with the ‘Shamans’ splitting the two and just 6 seconds separating the three at the windward mark.

The Spanish ‘La Armada’ team led the fleet downwind, but it was so tight between the Hungarian ‘Shamans’ and New Zealand’s ‘Guardians’, with just a couple of metres separating them.

The Spanish executed a perfect gybe into the finish line, with Hungary holding off New Zealand to seal the second qualifying spot. Wild celebrations erupted on board both yachts, especially the Hungarian ‘Shamans’ who have been in the competition since the 1/16 Finals.

This elimination format semi-final provided drama and excitement in abundance, captivating spectators on the livestream and had those in the Race Village on their fleet, cheering and gasping as fortunes ebbed and flowed.

It’s now down to the last. Tomorrow, Italy’s ‘Gladiators’, The Netherlands’ ‘Dutch Lions’, Hungary’s ‘Shamans’ and Spain’s ‘La Armada’ face each other on the water for one final race to decide the team that will lift the SSL Gold Cup for the first time and be crowned the World Champion of Sailing Nations.

Follow the action LIVE on the final day with all the latest SSL Gold Cup news from on and off the water:

• Instagram @SSLGoldCup
• Facebook @SSLGoldCup
• Youtube @StarSailors
• Website www.starsailors.com and ssl-goldcup.com

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Text and images courtesy of Star Sailors League. For more information and to read the full release, please visit starsailors.com.