Emirates Team New Zealand 4-1 up in Semis + Audio

by Warren Douglas on 20 May 2007
With a 1min 49sec win against ESP 97, NZL 92 needs to win one more race to win the semi-final and go to the final.

But as team boss Grant Dalton says: 'No one around here is thinking that far ahead.

We are very happy being 4-1 today, but we are still taking this regatta one race at a time.'

All eyes today were on the other semi-final match - Luna Rossa against BMW Oracle where ITA 94 was 3 – 1 up against USA 97

With the chance at the end of the day BMW Oracle might be only one race away from an early exit from the Louis Vuitton Cup, media interest was high in the match.

They were not disappointed. USA 97 incurred two penalties in the pre-start and ITA 94 went on to sail a flawless race. There was little USA 98 could do about it and lost by 1min 57sec.

NZL 92 established control of its race against ESP 97 early on the first beat and extended all the way top the mark.

Taking the right of the course at the start, Dean Barker and crew took an iron grip and nothing Spain did could shake it.

Grant Dalton said: 'We followed the plan right from the five-minute gun… take the right, take the lead if possible, extend when we could, keep the match tight and stay in phase with the Spanish.'

'In a soft breeze like today, there’s no point trying to get too far ahead with a very real possibility of missing a wind shift or an area of increased pressure. A win is still a win whether its by 10m or 100m.'

As the wind softened towards the end of the first run and fell away to 8 knots on the second beat, NZL 92 profited, extending the advantage.

'The breeze got really soft on the last run and the final delta was a little flattering to us. It was a classic case of the boat in front benefiting. We kept ourselves between ESP 97 and the finish and the result was never in doubt.

'Tomorrow is another day.'

Tomorrow’s weather: north-east 8-12 knots, temperature 18-27 degrees, 55% humidity, sun with some cloud.

TODAY’S SAILING TEAM

Skipper - Dean Barker
Tactician - Terry Hutchinson
Navigator - Kevin Hall
Strategist - Ray Davies
Traveller – Adam Beashel
Mainsail trimmer - Don Cowie
Trimmer upwind - Grant Loretz
Trimmer downwind – Andy Hemmings
Main grinder - Chris Ward
Grinder – Rob Waddell
Grinder - Jono Macbeth
Pit - Barry McKay
Runner/pit - Tony Rae
Mast - Matt Mason
Floater - Grant Dalton
Mid-Bow – Richard Meacham
Bow - Jeremy Lomas