Approaching storm front cancels racing on Day 6 of Louis Vuitton Cup

After yesterday’s inclement weather that saw the abandonment of the second race of the day between Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Emirates Team New Zealand in the Louis Vuitton Cup second Round Robin, unfortunately it’s more of the same today in Barcelona.

The beginning of September is very much a transition period in the weather, so Mediterranean storms are commonplace, and with winds reportedly gusting up to 50 knots offshore on the Balearic Islands and a front moving towards Barcelona, the Race Committee made the call to abandon all racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup for today.

Yesterday’s racing will live long in the memories of America’s Cup fans after the dramatic lightning strike just a few hundred metres ahead of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, with the team on the final leg of their race and headed to the finish.

Immediately that race was abandoned and the AC75s, with full carbon masts and hulls, headed initially into the spectator fleet before fast-towing back to their bases in the Port Vell. Rapid work from the Chase Boat teams, everyone made it back safely.

In addition to the cancellation of racing at the Louis Vuitton Cup today, the decision was also taken to close the Official Race Village on the Moll de la Fusta and all Fanzones due to the forecast for heavy rain squalls and the possibility of thunder and lightning around the Barcelona area.

Iain Murray, Race Director, issued his intention to hold five races on Thursday 5 September but has shuffled the order of the race schedule to ensure that competitors sail no more than two races in a day and that competitors do not sail in two consecutive races. Murray is expecting the winds to shift round more southerly in the coming days to produce a good racing breeze of around 8-12 knots.