ETNZ And Azzurra 1-All In Semis

ETNZ And Azzurra 1-All In Semis

Emirates Team New Zealand has won its second semi-final match against Azzurra, completing a penalty turn right on the finish line and winning by 2 sec.

Carrying the penalty incurred in the pre-start, Dean Barker and his crew led all the way to the finish, but with the penalty turn still to be done.

On-course commentators were saying they would need at least a 200m lead to successfully complete the turn. The telemetry was showing only a 135m lead as they approached the finish line.

They dropped the gennaker and went into the 360 deg turn around the pin end of the line with Azzurra approaching fast. It was close. Very close.

And just as it looked like they would not make it, ETNZ’s bow crossed the line, right on the nose of the fast-approaching Italians. But two seconds were enough to give them a win and another chance of making the final.

In the first race today, Emirates Team New Zealand started well and led up the beat. Azzurra threw tack after tack and gained an overlap on the approach to the mark.

Dean Barker took the Italians above the mark, and forced a penalty, rounding 21 sec ahead. On the run, ETNZ had trouble with its jockey pole and couldn’t sail at 100% allowing Azzurra to close the gap.

By the bottom mark, the margin to ETNZ was only 10sec. Azzurra benefited mightily from the shifty breeze on the second beat, opening a lead of 200 metres. As they neared the top mark they did their 360deg turn, clearing the penalty.

They defended well on the run and finished with a margin of 18sec.

Mascalzone Latino has gone through to the final, beating Artemis 2 – 1 today in their semi-final.

ENDS

© Scoop Media