Emirates Team New Zealand won their match up against Swiss Alinghi Red Bull Racing

After two days of solid easterly wind, a lumpy one metre sea state and 12- 14 knot breeze off the Barcelona waterfront, set the foundations for some tight racing on the best day of racing seen so far - conditions that would have been marginal for the AC75’s not too long ago.

Emirates Team New Zealand Coach Ray Davies explained mid-race, just how tricky the conditions were: “It makes it hard to be super accurate sailing in these conditions. Sailing in these waves a few years ago, people wouldn’t have thought we could sail in these conditions so it is great to be in front of all the classic boats out here and provide a spectacle of what these boats can do.”

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

This is the penultimate race before Emirates Team New Zealand exits the Louis Vuitton Cup and passes directly into the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match, and the Defenders will be keen to put a marker down whilst honing their racecraft. The Swiss come off a heavy defeat to the British and at the start, Emirates Team New Zealand tests out some differing tactics in the pre-start area and end up losing the start to leeward whilst the Swiss nail it to windward and slap an immediate cover on. Truth be told, that was a terrible start by the Kiwi afterguard.

A drag race to the right boundary ensues and sees the Kiwis just able to hold their position to leeward, but this is an uncomfortable opening few minutes by the Defender. The Swiss, however, allow the Kiwis a small amount of leverage to the left as they hit the right boundary hard and on the resultant intersection, it’s Emirates Team New Zealand who make the cross and take control of the race.

It’s a seven second delta at the first windward gate and close down the first run with the Kiwis holding the leeward gybe cover advantage consistently to round the leeward gate with a 13 second lead. A big slide on the rounding from the Kiwis who were right on the edge of control brings the Swiss back into contention as they elect to go far right, but the speed of ‘Taihoro’ keeps the Kiwis in the lead. After a better beat, with the team settling down, the second windward gate sees a small gain to Emirates Team New Zealand who are really using their powered-up mainsail effectively and they lead by 20 seconds.

Effective front-runners, the Kiwis deliver a loose gybe cover on the second downwind leg, picking their lanes and laylines nicely and making no mistake with a two-board round up, having extended the lead at the final leeward gate to 23 seconds. Holding the right initially but then following to cover the Swiss out left, Peter Burling and Nathan Outteridge remained super-calm onboard on the final upwind to head for the finish line with a delta of 38 seconds.

Great sailing from the Kiwis. No mistakes on the final downwind, and with an unassailable lead, Emirates Team New Zealand ride the pressure down with ease and stamp a dominant 38 second win on the board.  ruthless and efficient performance from the Defenders of the Louis Vuitton 37thAmerica’s Cup.

Emirates Team New Zealand bt. Alinghi Red Bull Racing by 38 seconds.

Reviewing the race, helmsman Nathan Outteridge wasn’t particuarly happy with the start, but was pleased with the overtake soon after, “We were just a little late with our final trigger-pull on the start, so gave up a bit of space to windward for Alinghi Red Bull Racing. We will need to review that one to see how we could have done a bit better, but it was good to get the pass on the upwind. With these waves out here today, it is pretty hard to control the leeway at times when going around the bottom mark so a little skid keeps it interesting.”

Emirates Team New Zealand have only one more race to complete the Round Robin tomorrow, against NYYC American Magic. It will be the last race for the Defenders, before the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match, starting on October 12. A point not lost on Outteridge, “To be honest we would happily keep racing. We will need to gear up for tomorrow as it is going to be a big one against American Magic. It’s going to be a bit sad to be the last race for a little while, but it is great to see the conditions are turning it on and we're getting some good racing.”

Over the next five weeks, the Challengers will continue battling it out to win the Louis Vuitton Cup. For Emirates Team New Zealand it’s a never-ending pursuit of development and search for speed, before the  Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup match.