Emirates Team New Zealand takes the win ahead of Synergy. Image copyright Bob Grieser/OutsideImages.co.nz
by Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand glided past the stalled Russian syndicate Synergy right on the line to snatch a win its third race in the Louis Vuitton Nice trophy.
The lead changed four times – testimony to the light and shifty breeze – in conditions skipper Dean Barker and tactician Ray Davies described as very, very difficult.
Davies: “We won it in the end but we had to fight hard. The breeze was very, very soft and very, very shifty."
At the start, Synergy was over the line early and had to return, handing ETNZ an early lead which quickly extended into a lead of four-boat lengths.
Then it was ETNZs turn to feel the pain. They sailed into a hole and Synergy sailed around them to leeward, rounding the first mark 14 sec ahead.
Dean Barker: “Synergy is a new team, not experienced, but not one you would want to give too much space. We worked hard to get back at them. They would gain, then we would take back some of it, but it looked like there was no way around them.
"Then came a massive wind shift – about 160deg – and the first downwind leg was finishing hard on the wind. We got past then at the gate but they got some good shifts and rounded the third mark first.”
It was all on for the run to the finish. Synergy extended, ETNZ fought back. And just as the commentators were calling a likely upset win to Synergy, Dean Barker’s after guard hooked into some breeze.
Synergy was stalled about two boat-lengths to the line and Barker came up on the Russians at seven knots. For the watching journalists the questions were: Would the breeze last. Would Synergy pick it up too?
The breeze did last and Synergy didn’t pick it up. Barker sailed around the stalled Russians, cut across their bow and crossed the line. The margin was 25sec; to crew and spectators it seemed like a slow-motion split second.
The record book shows a win to Emirates Team New Zealand. In a race where luck played a large part and the teams worked hard to keep the boats moving, in the end the breeze gave and the breeze took away.
The Mascalzone Latino boat that was damaged in practice last Friday was back on the water after repairs, finally giving race management two pairs of boats.
Weather forecasters were predicting a light breeze from the northerly quarter, strengthening to 10-12 knots from the east by early afternoon.
Racing was abandoned for the day at 2.30pm.
Emirates Team New Zealand
Louis Vuitton Trophy
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