Bertrand Pacé (FRA), of BMW Oracle Racing, continued to blitz the field. The event’s reigning champion ran his record to a perfect 13-0 after winning seven races today.

Local upstart Dario Kliba (CRO) continued to torment his more experienced elders. The 25-year-old added Flavio Favini (ITA), of Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia Team, and Ian Ainslie (RSA), of Team Shosholoza, to his list of victims as he ran his record to 4-9.

Kliba nearly defeated Swedish Match Tour leader Ed Baird (USA), of Team Alinghi, but Baird’s crew experience won out in the end.

“Today’s a day where you appreciate the abilities of your crew,” said Baird, who leads the Tour standings with the high score of 90 points. “When people look at the sport and wonder where the athleticism is, that’s where it is.”

With a record of 9-3 Baird moved into second on the leaderboard of the ACI Cup after a total of eight flights (40 matches) were raced in strong windy conditions.

A northeasterly howled over Split all day. In the morning it was gusting up to 30 knots, and whitecaps covered the racecourse. The wind abated to 20 knots as the day wore on, but still had gusts well over 25 knots. It led to broaches both upwind and downwind.

As he did on Day 1, Pacé skated through it all. He got out of a jam in Flight 10 against Staffan Lindberg (FIN) when he was able to unload a penalty at the windward mark.

According to chief umpire Bo Samuelsson, who was umpiring the match, Pacé was penalized on the run when Lindberg’s spinnaker hit his backstay.

“Lindberg had established a leeward overlap. He changed course slightly and Bertrand didn’t respond. We penalized him when Lindberg’s spinnaker hit his backstay,” said Samuelsson.

Pacé unloaded the penalty at the second windward mark. Three-quarters of the way up the beat he was on port tack with Lindberg approaching on starboard. Lindberg went hunting for Pacé, bearing off as Pacé did the same to duck clear astern. That got Pacé to the right of Lindberg.

At the windward mark Pacé was inside of Lindberg. “Bertrand was to leeward and luffed, and we judged that Lindberg didn’t keep clear,” said Samuelsson.

With the northeasterly blowing offshore there were large shifts in the breeze, and it was very puffy under the headland where the windward mark was located. The breeze was also shifty in the pre-start.

“There was always one side of the line favored at the starting gun,” said Baird, “but it wasn’t always the same side that was favored when we entered the pre-start.”

Baird said he was affected in his match against Kliba by another pair on the racecourse.

“We came off the line in good shape with him under our bow,” Baird said. “We tacked away on a shift and two boats had just rounded the leeward mark. We tacked away again and they tacked at the same time.”

Baird said they were mixed up with the other match all the way up the beat, which allowed Kliba to open a sizable lead. It appeared that Kliba would complete what he couldn’t finish yesterday, a victory over Baird.

Baird said his crew made a huge gain at the leeward mark with a fantastic takedown. “Kudos to the guys,” he said. “That was a spectacular rounding in big breeze.”

At the second windward mark Baird was on Kliba’s transom and stayed there as the pair took off on port jibe. When Kliba jibed to starboard Baird followed simultaneously. A puff hit as the pair turned and both nearly broached.

Baird’s bowman Piet Van Nieuwenhuyzen was able to get the spinnaker pole on the mast while Kliba’s crew struggled. Baird rolled over and into the lead. He crossed the line clear ahead of the young Croatian.

“Today was a teamwork day,” Baird said at the end.

Swedish Match Tour partners include Swedish Match, BMW and the Match Race Association. Swedish Match Tour Official Sponsors include Musto, Sebago, Travel Places, Trident Studio and Wedgwood.

Source: Sean McNeill