Emirates Team New Zealand Beat Land Rover Bar in Light Air

Emirates Team New Zealand Beat Land Rover Bar in Light Air

Another light air day in Bermuda but with just enough extra breeze to get the racing underway and the boats foiling.

Emirates Team New Zealand entered from the starboard end of the line, both boats popping straight up onto their foils in the pre-start dance for placement off the line.

The Kiwis trailed the British across the line but had more pace on the reach, with Ben Ainslie trying to force Peter Burling up to windward.

But the Kiwi helmsman still managed to roll over Land River BAR wide of mark one, forcing the British into a bad gybe. The BAR boat crashed down off its foils and sat dead in the water, struggling to get back up.
Meanwhile Emirates Team New Zealand was flying high and fast down the track, opening up a 400 metre lead by the time they reached the bottom mark.

“In these light air races it can really come down to the manoeuvring,” said Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Glenn Ashby. "The boats are extremely tricky to get wound up and get out of the manoeuvre. While you look comfortable going into a manoeuvre it is actually the exit that can be very difficult. And we were just fortunate that we managed to pull off that first gybe well today and keep our boat on its foils for longer than the British.”

On the first upwind leg Emirates Team New Zealand tacked onto port as they approached the left hand boundary, with Land Rover BAR - still coming downwind on starboard - quick to lodge a protest. But Burling was equally quick in taking evasive action and the umpires ruled no penalty.

By the time Emirates Team New Zealand rounded the fourth mark, a visibly frustrated Ben Ainslie and crew had not yet rounded the 3rd mark at the top of the course.

The race had become a procession with Emirates Team New Zealand not far from lapping Ben Ainslie Racing. And after the Kiwis crossed the finish Ainslie racing informed the Race Committee they were retiring. The last recorded delta had the Kiwis leading by a massive 6 minutes 25 seconds.

In the usual search for improvement Emirates Team skipper Glenn Ashby said: “Certainly very difficult to sail in those conditions, but it is a really good challenge for all of the teams. It is what the America’s Cup is all about.We have a wide range of wind conditions... 6- 24 knots... and you have to be able to sail well in all conditions, so we still have plenty more to improve on.”

Tomorrow Emirates Team New Zealand face Softbank Team Japan & Groupama Team France

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