Emirates Team NZ take overall lead in Audi MedCup

by Warren Douglas on 15 Jun 2009
Emirates Team New Zealand has sealed its win of the second regatta in the Audi MedCup circuit and now leads the series.

Grant Dalton: 'We were unlikely to lose this regatta when we went out this morning. Conditions were going to be tricky so the goal was to play the long game and not lose too many points.

'We started today with a 16-point buffer and two races to sail. The weather forecast meant that there was a high chance that only one would be sailed and that’s what happened.

'We were sixth in really tricky conditions but Quantum, second place overall this morning, was fourth so we lost just 2 points.

'With two regattas of five now sailed we are 16 points clear. We started the regatta two points behind the leader Matador, but they were finished third in Marseille, so they are now 20 points behind.'

NZL 380 finished the regatta with four wins in 10 races, two thirds, two seconds and two sixths.

Dalton: 'We sailed better than we did in Alicante and the boat’s going well. We combined really well, there was a good feeling on board, we never panicked and there was never a bad situation that we could not recover.

'A couple of races here had the potential to go really bad for us when we were well behind and we were able to get back into it. Even today when we finished sixth, we were close to being second or third only a few metres from the line.

'We also improved boat speed with small changes to sail shapes and sailing techniques. But it never felt easy. Dean Barker and all the boys can be well proud of what they achieved here, they were tight, calm and organised.'

The 16-point margin after two regattas doesn’t reflect the intensity of the competition and how close the racing has been.

Dalton: 'We will go into the next regatta as favourites – we’ll have a target on our foreheads and people will be leaning all over us.'

The next round of the regatta will be held in Sardinia, 20-25 July.

Results: Audi MedCup Circuit 2009 Marseille Trophy

TP52 Series Overall (10 races)

1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 1+3+1+2+1+2+4.5+6+1+6= 27.5 points
2. Quantum Racing (USA), 8+5+2+6+3+1+1.5+3+8+4= 41.5 points
3. Matador (ARG), 2+6+4+1+2+5+16,5+4+4+3= 47.5 points
4. Bigamist (POR), 5+4+6+3+10+4+10.5+2+10+1= 55.5 points
5. Bribón (ESP), 6+1+5+10+4+8+7,5+5+11+5= 62.5 points
6. Artemis (SWE), 7+2+8+5+5+3+13,5+7+3+9 = 62.5 points
7. Synergy (RUS), 3+9+9+7+6+10+6+1+2+10 = 63 points
8. Valars lll (RUS), 10+11+3+4+7+6+3+12 (DSQ) +6+7 = 69 points
9. Pisco Sour (CHI), 11+7+7+9+11+9+9+8+5+2 = 78 points
10. Audi Q8 (ITA), 4+8+10+8+8+11+12+9+7+11 = 77 points

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009
Overall points (after Alicante and Marseille)

TP52 Series

1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 38+27.5= 65.5 points
2. Quantum Racing (USA), 40+41.5 = 81.5 points
3. Matador (ARG), 36+47.5 = 83.5 points
4. Artemis (SWE), 37+62.5 = 99.5 points
5. Bigamist (POR), 46+55.5 = 101.5 points
6. Piso Sour (CHI) 53+78 = 131 points
7. Synergy (RUS) 74+63 = 137 points
8. Bribon (ESP) 79+62.5 = 141.5 points
9. Valara lll (RUS) 82+69 = 151 points
10. Audi Q8 (ITA) 89+88 = 177 points