10.09.2004
NZL82 wins first “rematch” with Alinghi
Emirates Team New Zealand and Alinghi went head-to-head today in a rematch of Auckland 2003, with New Zealand gaining a narrow win.
It was a good win and a boost to syndicate confidence about tackling the three years ahead. The win will be savoured tonight in Marseille, but only modestly because tomorrow’s another race day.
It was a win the team members had been working up to since they started sailing off Marseille 10 days ago, having never sailed together as team. As
the days passed sailing crew confidence in the boat and its reliability grew. More important they gained confidence in themselves and sensed that Oracle and Alinghi were not invincible.
Emirates Team New Zealand had finished ahead of both BMW Oracle and Alinghi in the fleet races earlier in the week. Yesterday a tactical error cost the team a possible win against Oracle. Today it was one-on-one against the team that took the America’s Cup from Auckland.
Managing director Grant Dalton, whose pre-regatta expectation was for the team to be competent and competitive, still takes a cautious view of the future.
Every win in this competition is a good win. The boat went well, the team-work onboard was near perfect and we took advantage of the opportunities
“I know this race has been keenly anticipated and people talked of revenge….. but for us it was only another race against opposition we respect.
“The margin was only 13 seconds and we worked hard for every one of them. There’s still nothing in it and there’s a long way to go before the start of the challenger series in Valencia in 2007.”
Today’s race was sailed in a south-east breeze of 11 to 16 knots with gusts over 20.
Emirates Team New Zealand claimed the left side of the course gaining a one to two boat-length lead. Halfway up the leg, a tacking duel developed with NZL 82 ahead until Alinghi got better pressure and edged ahead. A problem with Alinghi’s jib gave the lead back to NZL82 and they kept it to the finish, fighting off a relentlessly determined challenge.
NZL82 led around every mark, by 10 sec after the first beat, 9sec at the second mark, 42 sec at the third mark and 13 seconds at the finish.
In Emirates Team New Zealand’s second race of the day, Le Defi was beaten by 2min 30 sec.
This regatta has been a learning experience for the team. Grant Dalton said: “We now know that NZL82 is almost right on the pace up wind, but is not performing well down wind. Unfortunately we won’t be able to do anything about that before the Valencia regatta.”
Emirates Team New Zealand contact: Warren Douglas +33 674 793 177
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