Equal first after a good day/bad day

Emirates Team New Zealand is now equal first overall in the Alicante MedCup regatta.

Sitting on 30 points with Artemis after seven races, Dean Barker and crew have a big day ahead of them tomorrow.

The top of the leaderboard is crowded. Only three points separate the top 4, with yesterday’s leader Quantum on 31 and Matador, second equal with NZL 380 yesterday, fourth on 33.

Artemis, nine points off the pace yesterday, came storming back with a 2, 2, 1 scoreline today.

Saturday’s breeze was light and shifty which is pretty much the story of the regatta. More of the same is forecast for the final day.

NZL 380 started the day well, winning race 5, then was third in race 6 before stumbling to tenth in race seven.

Grant Dalton: “Our first two races were very good, but not perfect. The third race today was about as bad as it gets. There’s always a danger after a couple of good races that you might let your guard down.

“But in this race we got it wrong. Wrong side both beats and wrong side both runs. Pick the wrong side of the course and you are going to pay …..”

“Previously at this regatta if we have had a bad first beat we have been able to get back into it down the run and up the next beat, but not this afternoon – something we have to work on.”

Dalton says NZL 380 is not set up for really light conditions. “Races five and six were sailed in around 10knots, which is better. The last race was in about 6 knots of breeze - but we also made some bad decisions.

“We expect that as the summer comes on the breeze will be more to out liking at remaining regattas.”

Dalton said: “So it’s all on tomorrow’s results. A slip by any of the top four will be very expensive.”

Provisional standings after 7 races:
1. Artemis (SWE) 7,2,9,7,2,2,1=30 points
2. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 4,4,6,2,1,3,10=30 points
3. Quantum Racing (USA) 5,1,3,4,5,6,7=31 points
4. Matador (ARG) 2,5,1,8,7,5,5=33 points
5. Bigamist (POR) 3,12,5,5,9,1,4=39 points
6 Pisco Sour (CHI) 9,9,7,6,4,4,3 = 42
7 El Desafio (ESP) 8,7,10, 3,3,10,6 = 47
8 Marazzi (SUI) 4,6,4,10,10,8,8 = 50
9 Synergy (RUS) 11,11,2,1,8,11,11 = 55
10 Bribon (ESP) 10,10,11,9,11,7,2 = 60
11 Valars lll (RUS) 12,3,12,12,6,9,9 = 63
12 Audi 6,8,8,11,12,12,12 = 69