Tyler Letren; Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief

Season 4 Event 2 | Location: Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California US.

Hollywood serving as the backdrop for this weekend's race, the teams faced off on what would be one of the smaller and more congested courses that the ten teams will face this season. After a fantastic start to the season back in Chicago in the second event this weekend we saw so the Spanish saw their first win beating the Australians and Denmark in the weekend final.

Saturday saw plenty of drama. The Australians show off true boating skill utilizing the windier side of the course to manoeuvre through the gates with Great Britain following suit both teams took off from the rest of the catamarans and locked in first and second placing for themselves in the first race.

  In race two we saw the Americans (US) and Spain (ESP) battle for the marks with Spain (ESP) falling off their foils as they came around the final mark fighting for the winning position. Closing in on the Kiwi the USA dropped off their foil coming around the mark, trying to clear the Kiwi’s

Race three saw the dynamics on the water change, as the legs trimmed from seven to six, and the intensity slowed as the winds slowed forcing the boat to a near standstill in search of wind… Great Britain managed to grab wind up the course through the gate and around the mark, ahead of the other teams who struggled to get the wind to get up on foils after making it through the first gate.  Into leg six Spain managed to locate the wind and hop up on their foils, leading a great matchup with GBR going through to the with GBR taking home the win in race three.

Sunday on Day two, it started with Great Britain (GBR) and Germany (GER) at the front of the start line. It looked like Great Britain and Switzerland were going to lead the first race of day two but, instead, Great Britain's (GBR) attempt at a perfect start ended up being an early start penalty, along with New Zealand (NZL) who managed to pull ahead beside them. The two teams then had to fall back behind the rest of the teams. (both struggling to move in placing past 9th & 10th.)

After being first around mark two, Spain (ESP) managed to make their way around the buoys and score great wind to fly back across the course toward gates, while Australia held tight behind. Both teams crossed each other mid-course on their way to the marks.

Australia (AUS) experienced a sail malfunction on leg five forcing them to slow as Denmark (DEN) was approaching close behind; Sam Newton (Grinder), managed to pull off a quick repair and the team still fended off Denmark (DEN) clearing the final mark and securing second place. DEN wouldn’t be so lucky as they overshot to avoid collision around the final buoy, pushed from the mark by Canada (CAN) sneaking into grasping the third placing knocking Denmark back into fourth place.

Within seconds, identically coming around the last mark, team US would sneak onto the inside of   Switzerland (SUI) in a battle for 5th place.

Great Britain (GBR) and germ were not able to pull back up into the race.

Race two on day two saw Australia with a strong start across the starting line. AUS in first, the US in second, and Spain collided with the German ship. Race two saw a lot more congestion at the gates with teams trying to secure some extra points. The congestion led to a lot of tight crossing. AUS holding on to first place while US, SUI, and CAN, grasp hold of those three places.

In the middle race, two the final race placing was (in position): AUS, DEN, CAN, ESP. With CAN and ESP tied. With a series of penalties given Canada was knocked from the placing for the final race of day two; leaving an opening for Spain, even to hold on to their 9th place position to score just one point getting into the final race.

The US finished second and raised their hull in a wave to the spectators.

The final race Australia (AUS), Denmark (DEN) and Spanish (ESP).

Denmark up on foils perfect start, the ESP got up and flew up past the Den and around the first mark with AUS of foils unable to pull wind. The Spain zoomed across the course to the second gate leading with a large time stretch. Into leg four, the Australians caught a gush of wind enough to get them up on foils, and around the marks.

With the Australian’s speed growing, and the Spanish moving into gate five. AUS and DEN were stuck in the rear of the Spanish. In gate five, DEN attempted to overtake ESP, but a quick manoeuvre would get Spain around the last mark and across the finish line.

Approaching mark 2 for the leg to AUS spin second and the US spin first. The US pulled into the first position.

The US and AUS held onto first and second place. The repair from the first race managed held.

The US managed to fall behind the den and Canada during a cross to the buoy. Upon the pass, the US dropped behind the den. GBR fell back, while the US caught up to the US.

US moved slowly coming around the mark into leg 6, holding tight to second place and crossing the finish line in style

Though ESP continued to fall from their foils multiple times throughout the race they would go on to latch to a first place in then and later in the final race of the weekend.