(Reuters) – A consistent set of results lifted Swedish boat Artemis Racing to the top in the Chicago leg of the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) that finished on Sunday. In front of a large crowd at Chicago’s Navy Pier, Artemis finished second in the first race on Friday, and then second, first and fourth on Sunday on Lake Michigan, the first freshwater venue in America’s Cup history, to pile up 61 points and claim the regatta. Artemis led from start to finish in the second Sunday race, holding off a late challenge from Oracle Team USA. “We feel that we have very good boat handling now, and very good speed,” said Nathan Outteridge, the Australian skipper of Artemis.
“Today was all about nailing those gybes … That made us strong.” British boat Land Rover BAR, which won the first race on Sunday, finished the weekend in second place with 58 points, two better than SoftBank Team Japan, which won the first race on Friday and final race on Sunday, but finished last in the second race on Sunday. Emirates Team New Zealand was fourth on 51 points, but maintains a narrow lead in the series with 295 points, 10 ahead of Team USA and British boat BAR. The Swedish boat moved into fourth at 262. Overall rankings in the America’s Cup world series determine the starting points score of the teams in the America’s Cup qualifiers next year. The America’s Cup final is in Bermuda next June. (Reporting by Tim Wharnsby in Toronto; Editing by Andrew Both)
Reuters
