Toulon, France: Nathan Outteridge’s Artemis Racing dominated the first three of six races at the two-day Toulon regatta, the penultimate leg of the America’s Cup World Series on Saturday.
But crucially, Tom Slingsby’s Oracle Team USA gained a point on the day on overall leader Ben Ainslie’s British Land Rover BAR team, to draw level on points on the overall series leaderboard.
“Anytime you come out of a day like today with a gain, you have to feel fortunate,” said Slingsby. “It was very tricky, a game of snakes and ladders.”
Ainslie’s team came sixth in the first two races before turning the tables entirely to win the third.
Swedish team Artemis won the first two races and came third of six in the third on a day of very light winds on the Mediterranean coast.
A fourth race, which will only count in the case that one of Sunday’s is called off due to poor racing conditions, was also won by the Swedes.
Also on song and in a brand new boat were Groupama Team France, second on the day, skippered by a relieved Franck Cammas as his bottom-ranked team came in ahead of the British, American and Kiwi craft.
Cammas got better as the day went on coming fourth, third, and then second.
“It’s good for confidence and similar conditions are expected Sunday,” said Camas, who knows the Toulon waters well.
“We’re at our strongest in these kind of conditions, we just need to improve our starts,” added Camas, whose five-man crew was penalised twice for starting infringements.
Toulon standings after 3 races:
1. Artemis Racing (SWE/Nathan Outteridge) 28 points
2. Groupama Team France (FRA/Franck Cammas) 24 pts
3. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL/Glenn Ashby) 23
4. Oracle Team USA (USA/Tom Slingsby) 21
5. Land Rover BAR (GBR/Ben Ainslie) 20
6. SoftBank Team Japan (JPN/Dean Barker) 19
Overall standings:
1. Land Rover BAR (GBR/Ben Ainslie) 387 points
1. Oracle Team USA (USA/Jimmy Spithill) 387 pts
3. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL/Glenn Ashby) 380
4. SoftBank Team Japan (JPN/Dean Barker) 347
5. Artemis Racing (SWE/Nathan Outteridge) 343
6. Groupama Team France (FRA/Franck Cammas) 316
