Capsize and penalties drop Alinghi down standings on tough Day 2 in Sardinia

Tudor Team Alinghi arrived on the Gulf of Angels for Day 2 in fourth place overall, carried forward by a promising start to the regatta in Sardinia. With clear skies and a building south-easterly, three fleet races were scheduled across the afternoon, though climbing wave heights and shifting breezes pushed the Swiss crew into territory they could not have fully prepared for.

The afternoon's schedule had Race 4 at 15:10, Race 5 at 15:46, and Race 6 at 16:27.

Fleet Race 4 offered genuine early encouragement for Paul Goodison and Phil Robertson. A well-executed start in tricky light-air conditions carried the team briefly to the head of the fleet on the opening upwind leg, a positive sign in a tightly contested AC40 competition. The advantage evaporated as the breeze softened, and a splashdown off the foils on the fourth leg proved damaging, sending Tudor Team Alinghi to the back of the pack. The deficit was too large to overcome, and Team New Zealand took the race win.

Race 5 went wrong from almost the first moment. Penalties at the start pushed Tudor Team Alinghi to the rear of the fleet, with the light conditions offering little room to claw back positions. A capsize during a downwind gybe then ended the race before any recovery could take hold. All four sailors were confirmed safe without delay, and the shore and support teams moved quickly to ready the AC40 for the day's final race.

Coach Richard Mason offered a measured read of events: "It's been a tough day today so far; we're having a few technical issues, but the guys are in good shape."

Tudor Team Alinghi took to the water again for Race 6, tackling demanding light-air conditions on the Gulf of Angels through precise manoeuvring and strong communication as they chased fifth place. The team finished seventh, a result short of what they had been aiming for, but one that closed out a difficult and instructive day with Sunday's final races still to come.

The crew who sailed Day 2 were Paul Goodison (GBR), Skipper and Starboard Helm; Phil Robertson (NZL), Port Helm; Nicolas Rolaz (SUI), Starboard Trim; and Pietro Sibello (ITA/SUI), Port Trim.