Disappointing fourth for British in Louis Vuitton Trophy series

A disappointing fourth was the reward for Ben Ainslie and Britain’s America’s Cup challenger Team Origin in the Louis Vuitton Trophy series off Nice.

First loss of the day was the decider in the best of three for a place in the final when the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda team Azzurra squeezed a lead at the end of the first leg. Then, in a sudden death play-off for third, Ainslie went down to the crew which has been the surprise performer of the event, the Russian Synergy team, skippered by Poland’s Karol Jablonski.

The final will be decided today between Azzurra and Emirates Team New Zealand, who host the next in the series in Auckland in February.

In the double handed Transat Jacques Vabre from Le Havre to Costa Rica, the remaining 10 60-footers have become strung out, Mike Golding and Javier Sanso still secure in third, but 275 miles behind the leaders, Marc Guillemot and Charles Cauledrier-Benac in Safran as they approach the 800 miles to the finish mark.

Dee Caffari and Brian Thompson are eighth in Aviva with Sam Davies and Sidney Gavignet 1,220 miles behind the leader in 10th.