Dean Barker at the helm of the ETNZ Extreme 40. Image copyright Paul Wyeth/OC Events.
by ETNZ media
Dean Barker and his Emirates Team New Zealand crew got down to basics on the first day of competition in the Extreme 40 Sailing Series Almeria regatta.
It was, Barker said, a great day. A lot of fun. “We had some good races and we had some bad ones... we were over the line early in the first race and had a collision in the last one.”
They weren’t alone in that. In the eight races sailed several teams were in collisions - and incurred penalties. That’s the way it is in the red-hot encounters brought about by combining a fleet of fast catamarans, competitive yachtsmen, short races and confined waters. The boats are close together and there’s not much wriggle room.
Even the experienced teams were not immune. Minor errors are magnified in the circumstances and the chances of recovery are slim.
For all that, Barker was pleased with the day. “We had some good starts and good beats and we were right in there mixing it up. We’re getting a handle on the tactics which are quite different than for mono-hull racing.”
The crew had a lot to discuss at the post-racing debrief. “We had a list a mile long to get through. We learned a lot today about how not to turn reasonable positions into bad results.”
There’s still that competitive niggle – “We’re here to learn, but we would rather be further up the leader board.”
Tomorrow’s weather forecast is for a strong breeze to follow an overnight storm. That should make for spectacular racing.
Extracts from Dean Barker's Kiwi Yachting Consultants' blog:
"We had a mixed bag of results with a 3,8,3,8,7,7,8 for the 7 races. Included in this was one race we were over and had to restart and a collision with Mitch Booth which we were penalised for and started dead last.
"...Every race and almost every leg we seem to be learning something new and this is the good part...
"The breeze had built considerably by the end of the day and we had some great rides around the very confined harbour. There is plenty happening and at times understanding the boats limits can be interesting."
ETNZ
Extreme Sailing Series Europe
