Extreme Sailing Series- Team NZ share lead after Day 1 in Istanbul

by Emirates Team on 12 Sep 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.

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.