NZL380 wins Portugal Trophy regatta

Emirates Team New Zealand has won the Portugal Trophy regatta, the fourth round of the Audi MedCup series.

Only one race was sailed on the final day and NZL380 was able to achieve what was required by finishing two places ahead of Artemis which had gone into the final day with a 1.5 point lead.

Emirates Team New Zealand has won three of the four regattas sailed in the series and takes a cushion of 52 points into the final regatta at Cartagena, Spain, which starts on September 14.

In Sunday’s race NZL380 finished seventh. The key to the regatta win was Artemis finishing tenth, giving Dean Barker the two points needed.

Grant Dalton: “We knew Portimao was going to be a difficult regatta. The fleet is improving race by race and it’s unrealistic for us to expect that we can continue to pull away. We knew the weather was likely to be light and our boat prefers heavier conditions.

“We reckoned Artemis would be the main threat. They are quick in the light and they sail well.

“Today we had to cover Artemis and the other top boats that could threaten our position. And we had to take any opportunity that presented itself to claw back the deficit and take the regatta. The breeze was far from ideal – 5-9 knots of streaky sea breeze, but there was also a bit of north-westerly near the top of the course.

“Our chance came on the second beat when we were able to tack on top of Artemis, forcing them above the lay line and having to tack twice.”

The job was done. NZL380 finished the race down the fleet but they had done what was necessary to win the regatta. “We squeaked in,” Dalton said. “We’re happy and relieved that we got away with it.”

Skipper Dean Barker (NZL) said: “It was a tricky day and the chance of getting a race away was always marginal.

“I think the results today show the strength and depth we now have in the fleet. All the teams can win races, and the improvement over the season has been impressive. Bigamist, especially, is now a tough competitor.”

He said that throughout the regatta the crew had felt they were not sailing as well as they had in achieving last month’s win in Sardinia, confirming that they still have plenty to work on before the last regatta in the series at Cartagena, Murcia, a venue which proved extremely challenging last year.

Dalton agrees: “We have a big lead now, but we know what can happen in sailing. Improvements can always be made.”

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009
Portugal Trophy – final overall points

1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 2+3+6+3+1+3+7= 25 points
2. Artemis (SWE), 3+4+2+2+4+1.5+10= 26.5 points
3. Quantum Racing (USA), 1+1+4+8+3+6+6= 29 points
4. Bigamist (POR), 5+5+1+1+8+7.5+3= 30.5 points
5. Bribón (ESP), 6+2+3+7+8+10,5+5= 40.5 points
6. Matador (ARG), 4+11(DSQ)+7+4+5+4.5+9 = 44.5 points
7. Synergy, (RUS) 7+11 (DNF)+8+5+2+13.5+1 = 47.5 points
8. Cristabella, (GBR) 10+6+9+6+6+12+4 = 53 points
9. Audi Q8 , 8+8+5+10+9 +9+8 = 57 points
10. Valars lll, 9+7+10+9+10+15+2 = 62 points

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009
Series leader board after four regattas

1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 38+27,5+28+25= 118.5 points
2. Matador (ARG), 36+47.5+42,5+44.5= 170.5 points
3. Quantum Racing (USA), 40+41,5+65+29= 175.5 points
4. Artemis (SWE), 37+62.5+49.5+26.5= 175.5 points
5. Bigamist (POR), 46+55.5+57+30,5= 189 points
6. Bribon (ESP), 79+62.5+58.5+40.5 = 240.5 points
7. Synergy (RUS), 74+63+57+47.5 = 241.5 points
8. Valars lll (RUS), 82+69+86.5+62 = 299.5 points
9. Audi Q8 (RUS), 89+88+94.5+57 = 328.5 points
10. Cristabella (GBR), 126+99+94+53 = 372 points