Team Origin come unstuck in in Cartagena

(IAN ROMAN)

Britain’s Team Origin again came unstuck in the long race of the Audi MedCup regatta in Cartagena, the fourth in the five-event series.

Skipper Ben Ainslie and a crew that had never been worse than third in six preceding short races finished last of the 11 in the 20-mile coastal race.

Having already struggled in the fresher conditions, Ainslie was left to limp home with no headsail because of gear damage and, from being overall leader, Origin slipped to second by nine points as defending champions Emirates Team New Zealand took its accustomed position at the top of the table.

The two leaders in the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland race are expected to finish off Cowes today. France’s Volvo70 Groupama and Spain’s similar Telefonica are both expected to break the record for the 1,800-mile anti-clockwise course.

Franck Cammas had a 20-mile lead passing the Scillies, but was being chased hard by Iker Martinez.

In Kiel, Yann Guichard of France had recovered the lead from Britain’s Mike Golding in the Extreme 40 series.