Top of the board after day 1 at Istanbul

Today’s pictures are here, the video here

September 11 2014

Consistency. That’s what Dean Barker wanted on the first day of racing of the Extreme Sailing Series’ Istanbul round. That’s what he got.

And as he said after practice yesterday, “consistency will be rewarded.” Emirates Team New Zealand finished the first day at the top of the leader board with 46 points, equal with defending series champion, the Wave, Muscat.

They are being chased hard by SAP Extreme sailing Team on 45 points and Red Bull Sailing Team on 40.

Barker said: “It was a good, solid day – nothing flashy. It’s a difficult race course and there are gains and losses .... today we managed the course pretty well and took the opportunities that came up. As always, there’s still room for improvement. A priority is better positions at the first mark. That’s crucial.

“Coming off the water we had a much better feeling today than we did throughout the last regatta in Cardiff.”

Crews revelled in the conditions today: a steady north-easterly breeze of 15 knots and gusts up to 20. Racing was held in open water on the Marmara Sea, at the entrance to the Bosphorus.

Emirates Team New Zealand was also the fastest boast in the fleet with an average speed downwind of 16.27 knots and upwind at 11.80 knots.

Two boats were dismasted during the day - first Groupama sailing team in race four and then Alinghi, current 2014 series leader, in the seventh and final race of the day.

Extreme Sailing Series Istanbul standings after Day 1, 7 races (11.09.14)
1= Emirates Team New Zealand; The Wave, Muscat (OMA) 46 points.
3rd SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 45 points.
4th Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 40 points.
5th Gazprom Team Russia (38 points.
6th GAC Pindar (AUS) 37 points.
7th Oman Air (OMA) 30 points.
8th Alinghi (SUI) 28 points.
9th J.P. Morgan BAR (GBR) l 24 points.
10th TeamTurx (TUR) 21 points.
11th Groupama sailing team (FRA) 20 points.
12th Realteam by Realstone (SUI) 19 points.

Extreme Sailing Series 2014 overall standings after five regattas

1st Alinghi (SUI) 47 points.

2nd The Wave, Muscat (OMA) 45 points.

3rd Realteam by Realstone (SUI) 34 points.

4th Emirates Team New Zealand 33 points.

5th J.P. Morgan BAR (GBR) 25 points.

6th Gazprom Team Russia 22 points.

7th Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 20 points.

8th SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 18 points.

9th Oman Air (OMA) 16 points.

10th Groupama sailing team (FRA) 15 points.

11th GAC Pindar (AUS) 5 points.

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