Emirates Team New Zealand has made an encouraging start to the Audi MedCup Camper regatta at Barcelona.
Three races were sailed on Thursday in a 9-16 knot easterly breeze and a “lumpy” seaway. And at the end of the day, with a first, fourth and 8th placing, NZL 380 sits in second place overall on 13 points.
Quantum Racing (5, 5 and 2) is leading on 12 points. Artemis (7,2,4) and Bribon (3,3,7) are also on 13 points.
Tactician Ray Davies: “We had a good day today, one point off the lead at the end of the day. We’ll take that any time.
“We started really strongly, but in the last race we slipped back on the first run, losing a couple of boats there and that was the turning point in that race for us.”
“In these conditions every team will have difficult, tricky races.”
Crews are looking for consistency in this regatta and today’s results showed just how difficult that can be. Cristabella, second in the first race and first in the second slumped to 11th in the third. Luna Rossa won race three, following disappointing 9th and 11th places.
For skipper Dean Barker a better showing on the first day was a welcome change from the forgettable first days in recent regatta history: “One point off the lead – we’re right amongst it.”
“We were on the wrong side of a shift on the first beat of the second race and suffered, but managed to get back into it and finished with a respectable fourth. In race three we lost some places on the first run and slipped to 8th at the leeward mark.”
With one race day lost through lack of wind, the race committee has dropped the coastal race from the programme.
TP52 Series
Day 2
1. Quantum Racing (USA), 5+5+2= 12 points
2. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 1+4+8= 13
3. Artemis (SWE), 7+2+4= 13
4. Bribón (ESP), 3+3+7= 13
5. Cristabella (GBR), 2+1+11= 14
6. TeamOrigin (GBR), 10+6+3= 19
7. Luna Rossa (ITA), 9+11+1= 21
8. Matador (ARG), 4+9+9= 22
9. Synergy (RUS), 6+10+6= 22
10. Audi A1 powered by ALL4ONE (FRA/GER), 12(DNC)+8+5= 25
11. Bigamist 7 (POR), 8+7+10= 25
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