A heavy fog enveloped Newport for the second consecutive day on Saturday morning, but by noon, the fog had lifted, although there was very little wind. The Race Committee postponed racing until 14:00, when a light, five to seven knot Southerly filled in over East Passage.

Previously, a Jury decision on Friday night had set the stage for a spectacular Saturday of racing at the UBS Trophy – Saturday would see one race in each of the Pro-Driver and Owner-Driver series, with the winner in each match, winning the overall series title.

Returning dockside, a triumphant BMW Oracle Racing team, led by helmsman Gavin Brady, and skipper and CEO Chris Dickson, was presented with the UBS Trophy by Huw Jenkins, the Managing Director of UBS Investment Banking. Mr. Jenkins then presented Larry Ellison with a silver plate, for the winner of the Owner-Driver series.

BMW Oracle Racing beats Alinghi - Delta 1:04 (Pro-Driver Series - Race 11 of 12)

The BMW Oracle Racing team sailed a brilliant pre-start, gaining control early and maintaining it throughout the race. Alinghi helmsman Peter Holmberg had the port tack entry at the start, and avoided the traditional dial-up by immediately turning upwind, and sailing to windward of the starting line.

But BMW Oracle helm Gavin Brady matched him, tacking quickly and setting up to leeward. Brady was able to hold his controlling position for most of the pre-start, and at one point, Alinghi appeared as though it might be in danger of being shut out at the start.

But Holmberg eventually managed to break free, and run down below the start line, starting at the pin end, albeit with poor boatspeed. BMW Oracle tacked away moments before the starting gun, starting mid-line, before tacking back to stay in touch with Alinghi.

Although the boats left the start line fairly evenly, BMW Oracle then received a nice puff of wind on the right that Alinghi didn’t catch, and that immediately translated into a two boat length advantage. BMW Oracle protected its starboard tack advantage aggressively pushing Alinghi towards the Fort Adam shoreline at every opportunity. Thus the boats reached the port tack layline very early, and Holmberg was forced to follow Brady into the mark, rounding 17-seconds behind.

In the light conditions, BMW Oracle protected its lead diligently, and Alinghi couldn’t find any passing opportunities. Brady went on to win his seventh race of the series, handing BMW Oracle the Pro-Driver series and the UBS Trophy.

BMW ORACLE RACING WINS THE PRO-DRIVER SERIES 16 POINTS TO 6 (7 RACES TO 4)

BMW Oracle Racing beats Alinghi - Delta 0:29 (Owner Series - Race 4 of 4)

Ernesto Bertarelli was strong in the pre-start of this race, but it wasn’t enough to defeat Larry Ellison.

BMW Oracle mimicked Alinghi from the first start of the day, avoiding a dial-up by immediately heading up above the start line, and in the stronger breeze, Ellison was able to cross ahead of Bertarelli and lead him out to the right side, away from the Committee Boat end of the line. The boats sailed deep into the spectator fleet, and Ellison led back towards the line, but both boats were extremely early.

BMW Oracle, with Alinghi close behind, pushing, attempted a double tack at one point to lose speed and kill time, but they were still looking very early. At that point Ellison decided to gybe around, but turned the boat very quickly and BMW Oracle stalled out in the manoeuvre. Alinghi was able to bear off for speed and hit the line at the start gun with good pace, while BMW Oracle was a moment late and still sailing slowly.

Bertarelli was set up to leeward and a couple of lengths ahead on a long starboard tack towards Fort Adams. Ellison, sailing for speed, stayed close, and when Alinghi finally tacked, Bertarelli couldn’t clear the starboard tack BMW Oracle boat. Alinghi was forced to quickly tack again to keep clear, and Ellison rolled on into the lead.

BMW Oracle led around the first top mark, and extended on the first run. Bertarelli tried gamely to put pressure on Ellison, but couldn’t threaten, and Ellison completed the sweep for BMW ORACLE, who win both divisions of the UBS Trophy.

BMW ORACLE RACING WINS THE OWNER-DRIVER SERIES 4 POINTS TO 2 (3 RACES TO 1)

Fog descended over the East Passage of Narragansett Bay on Friday, making for a difficult day for the Race Committee. After a long postponement waiting for the wind to fill in, Principal Race Officer Dr. Robin Wallace moved the race course to the North side of the Newport Bridge, where the sky was clearer, and the wind was up to 7 – 9 knots.

Alinghi beats BMW Oracle Racing - Delta 0:27 (Pro-Driver Series - Race 10 of 12)

Team Alinghi turned the tables on BMW Oracle today, making a nice pass on the run to vault into the lead midway through the race before covering to earn the victory.

BMW Oracle Racing’s Gavin Brady sailed another strong pre-start, controlling most of the encounters between the two boats. But he was a fraction early when he broke for the line, and Team Alinghi’s Peter Holmberg took advantage, slipping in by the Committee boat, with BMW Oracle fractionally ahead, and in a safe leeward position.

Alinghi tried to stay with BMW Oracle but Holmberg was soon forced to tack, and Brady tacked with him, both boats sailing out to the starboard tack layline. With a helpful right shift, BMW Oracle was able to lead into the first mark, and carried a thin, 12-second lead around the mark.

Alinghi gybed away after rounding the mark and gained nearly 700-metres of separation before BMW Oracle gybed towards the middle of the course. When the boats converged again Alinghi had closed up, but had to cross behind the starboard gybe BMW Oracle boat. Holmberg gybed to leeward, and was in a strong position, preventing Brady from gybing for the mark. BMW Oracle, rather than be forced to sail out to the layline made a violent gybe, rounding up to cross behind the starboard gybe Alinghi, and Holmberg was in the lead.

Alinghi ended up with an eight second lead around the bottom mark, and through a combination of good covering tactics, and favourable shifts, Holmberg held on to win the race.

Alinghi beats BMW Oracle Racing - Delta 0:11 (Owner Series - Race 3 of 4)

This race had to be restarted after the first attempt was abandoned after the start. In the abandoned race start, BMW Oracle helmsman Larry Ellison was called for starting early. But as he attempted to re-start, there was some difficulty with the flag communication system on the Race Committee boat, and the Committee decided moments later to abandon the race.

After having difficulty in each of the Owner-Driver pre-starts, Ernesto Bertarelli elected for a change of strategy in the second attempt at a start. After engaging in the traditional dial-up, Bertarelli bailed out almost immediately with a couple of quick tacks, keeping his boat speed up, and forcing BMW Oracle to lead away into the circling nearly immediately, with Alinghi close behind.

As a result, this was Bertarelli’s strongest pre-start at the helm. Alinghi led back in for the start line, with Ellison’s BMW Oracle boat pushing him towards the line. With both boats early, Bertarelli was able to luff up to protect his position and kill time. Ellison eventually elected to tack, and the boats split at the start, BMW Oracle at the Committee Boat, and Alinghi at the pin.

Ellison came of the line with more speed, and with starboard tack advantage he was able to protect the right side of the race course. BMW Oracle appeared to be leading but in the fog, overstood the port tack layline. Alinghi charged in on starboard, and was able to tack inside, and round the mark ahead. Bertarelli protected his narrow lead the rest of the way to win on a shortened course.