Audi MedCup: Three wins from three races for NZL 380

Emirates Team New Zealand's TP52 competing on the Audi MedCup circuit 2009. Image copyright Ian Roman/Audi MedCup.

by Emirates Team New Zealand media

Emirates Team New Zealand has taken three wins from three races on the opening day of the third Audi MedCup regatta at Cagliari, Sardinia.

Coming to Cagliari as series leader after two of five regattas (Alicante and Marseille) Emirates Team New Zealand was a clear 16 points ahead of second–place Quantum Racing.

Today’s three wins gave NZL380 3 points, finishing the day seven points clear of Matador with a 3,3,4 scoreline and eight points ahead of Artemis (2,2,7). Quantum (7, 4, 8) ended the day in sixth place on 19 points.

Grant Dalton: “Today the ball bounced our way. As we expected Artemis and Matador were pushing hard. Quantum (the defending champion) had a bad day, but that could happen to anyone. We’ll have one of those days, too.

“Today the plan was to start well and get clear lanes. The sea breeze came in exactly as forecast and sailing conditions were perfect with 11-14.5 knots of breeze and flat water.

“The breeze was not particularly shifty but there were puffs and the first boats into the pressure made gains. As predicted, the right of the course tended to win more often than not so we worked the middle/right all day and were able to make small, incremental gains.

Race 1: Dean Barker and crew pulled off a great start and led around every mark to finish 18sec ahead of Artemis with Matador third, 58sec adrift.

Race 2: Emirates Team New Zealand won the second race much as they did the first: a great start with timing and speed near perfect giving them control from the first beat. Again NZL380 led around every mark. At the finish, the margin was 32sec over second-placed Artemis and 35sec over Matador, third.

Race 3: The last race of the day developed into a battle to the finish against the Russian team Synergy. The Russians also started and went further right, making some small gains and rounding the first the mark in the lead with NZL380 5sec behind. NZL380 slipped to third at the second mark, 24sec adrift, with Bribon chasing hard in second place only 9sec behind Synergy.

By the third mark NZL380 was back in second place, 7sec behind Synergy, and setting up a match race to the finish. The afterguard played a waiting game, getting the boat into a position where it could affect Synergy’s air and with a couple of good gybes under pressure rolled over the Russians to win by 1sec.

Dean Barker: “Today we got across the line in really good shape in all three races. Then a combination of good tactics and crew work and a boat that is going really well got the results.

“It was a good start to the regatta. We take the wins and start thinking about tomorrow.”

Region of Sardinia Trophy
Standings after Day 1

1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 1 1 1 = 3 points
2. Matador (ARG), 3 3 4 = 10 points
3. Artemis (SWE), 2 2 7 = 11 points
4. Synergy (RUS), 4 8 2 = 14 points
5. Bribón (ESP), 5 6 3 = 14 points
6. Quantum (USA), 7 4 8 = 19 points
7. Bigamist 7 (POR), 6 5 9 = 20 points
8, Audi Q8 (ITA), 8 9 6 = 23 points
9, Cristabella (GBR), 9 10 5 = 24 points
10, Valars lll, (RUS), 10 7 10 = 27 points

Emirates Team New Zealand
Audi MedCup