An important day ends well for ETNZ
Sunday 14 June 2009, 12:20PM
By Emirates Team New Zealand
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The fourth race day of the Marseille MedCup regatta was always going to be important for Emirates Team New Zealand.
As Grant Dalton described it: “It was the day for us to build on the points lead and go into the last day without too much pressure … or put ourselves under tremendous pressure with a couple of bad results.
“For a while it looked like we would have a great day and then a small wind shift near the top mark on the first beat looked like it could turn it into a bad day.
“In the end, with a sixth and a first we consolidated our position on the leader board by increasing our overall lead to 16 points, four more than yesterday.
“We had had a great start in the first race, going left with good speed, which was just what we wanted. Towards the top of the beat the breeze clicked a little to the right and instead of rounding first we were sixth.
“We couldn’t cross in front of Synergy and Bigamist and they rounded first and second and our main threats in this regatta – Quantum and Matador – were also in front of us.
“A couple more wind shifts didn’t go our way and we were seventh at the leeward mark and 10th at the second top mark. On the run Ray Davies and Adam Beashel read the breeze really well and we were able to claw back some important places.”
The day’s second race, sailed in 16-19 knots of breeze, was completely different. NZL 380 led from start to finish.
Dalton said: “The boys just shrug off a bad result and get on with the next race.
“From a salvage job in the first race today, we have ended clear by four more points and lead this regatta and the series overall, which, of course is the main objective.
“But there’s no such thing as a comfortable lead. This is yacht racing and things happen.”
Results:
Audi MedCup Circuit 2009
TP52 Series
Marseille regatta overall - Day 4
June 14 2009
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 1+3+1+2+1+2+4,5+6+1= 21.5 points
2. Quantum Racing (USA), 8+5+2+6+3+1+1,5+3+8 = 37.5 points
3. Matador (ARG), 2+6+4+1+2+5+16,5+4+4 = 44.5 points
4. Synergy (RUS), 3+9+9+7+6+10+6+1+2 = 53 points
5. Artemis (SWE), 7+2+8+5+5+3+13,5+7+3 = 53.5 points
6. Bigamist (POR), 5+4+6+3+10+4+10.5+2+10 = 54.5 points
7. Bribón (ESP), 6+1+5+10+4+8+7.5+5+11 = 57.5 points
8. Valars lll (RUS), 10+11+3+4+7+6+3+12 (DSQ) +6 = 62 points
9. Pisco Sour (CHI), 11+7+7+9+11+9+9+8+5 = 76 points
10. Audi Q8 (ITA), 4+8+10+8+8+11+12+9+7 = 77 points