ETNZ qualify for Preliminary Regatta final after win over Alinghi on Day 3

Emirates Team New Zealand had just one race on the penultimate day of the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta against Alinghi Red Bull Racing - a win would set the kiwis up to comfortably qualify for the top two final race on Sunday that will decide the preliminary regatta winner.

In a lighter 7-10 breeze it was a click down on the racing conditions seen so far in the preliminary regatta but a comfortable range for Taihoro and the Emirates Team New Zealand sailing team to line up against the Swiss challengers.

AMERICA’ S CUP RACE REPORT

Emirates Team New Zealand (Port Entry) vs. Alinghi Red Bull Racing

The overnight leaders of the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta, Emirates Team New Zealand are looking for a clean race here against Alinghi Red Bull Racing and it’s Nathan Outteridge steering from the port pod who brings ‘Taihoro’ into the pre-start box a couple of seconds late and heads deep into the box accepting the trail of the Swiss. At the gybe, the Kiwis go first but then bear away under the Swiss before getting trapped high. However, it’s the first time we’ve seen a split-tack start as the Kiwis tack away and take the starboard end, starting on port and heading over to the right. Alinghi Red Bull Racing make a near-perfect start at the port end and head to the left of the course but as both boats come back together in the middle of the course, it’s Emirates Team New Zealand who have the advantage and begin bouncing the Swiss left.

The tacking duel up the middle of the course was revealing with the Kiwis gaining through every tack and into the final quarter of the beat their lead had stretched in excess of 100 metres. Frustrating for the Swiss, the tight cover was sending dirty air down the course and at the first windward mark it was Emirates Team New Zealand with a 12 second lead.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing are the first to gybe, covered loosely by the Kiwis and both boats head down the course on a long port gybe as the lead stretched to in excess of 400 metres. At the first leeward mark, the Kiwis set up to take the starboard marker and headed upwind to the left with a smooth one-board round-up. The Swiss followed suit, showing good boat-handling, taking the port marker and headed to the right boundary.  Emirates Team New Zealand came back from the left to cover on a nice pressure build and then slapped the cover on the Swiss ruthlessly.

With the wind dropping, the Race Committee reduced the length of the legs to just 1.45 miles and the pressure came on the Flight Controllers through the manoeuvres to keep the boat flying. Smoothness through the tacks is something of a hallmark for the Kiwis and they showed great exit speeds so that by the second windward mark, they rounded the port marker at almost 38 knots but with an increased lead of some 45 seconds.

No mistakes on the Kiwi boat, keeping the power-on and showing some lovely windward heel to get the maximum out of a dying breeze whilst still flying upwind in excess of 32 knots and keeping tacks to a minimum. At the final windward mark, Emirates Team New Zealand opted to take the starboard marker in order to play the left side of the run and headed off to the left boundary with a lead now extended out to one minute and 15 seconds. Just two gybes down the final leg and the victory went to the Kiwis with a winning delta of one minute 15 seconds. Impressive sailing in very tricky conditions from Emirates Team New Zealand.

Emirates Team New Zealand beat Alinghi Red Bull Racing (75 seconds)

The win, confirming Emirates Team New Zealand a place in the Preliminary Regatta final tomorrow, was again shaped in the pre start. Skipper Peter Burling explains, “We really wanted the right of the start line and then when Alinghi Red Bull Racing jumped us early we thought we would take on the split tack start. We haven't seen any split starts at this event so it's good to get one under our belt and it seemed to work out alright.

Talking about Taihoro and the performance of the boat overall, Burling said:

“We are really happy with our boat across the range, I think it a lot of it is about actually understanding how to sail the boat or how to use your equipment well and we're still learning a lot about that. But we are really happy in those conditions. We haven’t actually seen it that light like that for a little while so it was a little bit of just switching back into that mode up the first beat and I'm really happy with the way we did.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow, to complete the round robin Emirates Team New Zealand have a much anticipated match up against American Magic who will be coming off a loss to Orient Express Racing Team due to rudder damage in the pre start today.

Then the 4 day regatta will come down the final winner takes all match race to decide the winner of the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta.