Spanish defeat Emirates Team NZ + Barker Audio

by Emirates Team New Zealand on 21 May 2007
Desafio Espanol took a narrow win over Emirates Team New Zealand today in their sixth semi-final match. .

With NZL 92 now up 4-2, one more win is needed to go through to the final.

The big story of the day was BMW Oracle’s fifth semi-final series defeat by Luna Rossa

USA 98 was fancied by the media and commentators who believed it was 'something special' and a certainty to defeat ITA 94 in the semi-final. The form reversal has left them floundering.

Skipper Chris Dickson who had been out-sailed all regatta by Australian James Spithill at the helm of Luna Rossa took himself off the boat for what turned out to be the team’s final race.

He was replaced by helmsman Sten Mohr who found he was unable to counter the Italian’s tactics and ITA 94 finished with a comfortable margin of 33 sec and now go through to the final.

It was always going to be a tough day on the water for NZL 92. Spain was fighting for its life and the sailing crew expected them to come out full of fight.

And they did. They took a small lead on the first beat and then defended furiously right to the finish. The margins: first mark 12 sec to Spain, second mark 13 sec, third mark 8 sec, finish 12 sec.

The race started in a reasonably steady 12 knots and strengthened to 16 knots as the race progressed, conditions in which the Spanish boat has looked very comfortable.

Grant Dalton: 'We didn’t get the chance to press home an attack. Once they got in front we kept it close and threw a lot of attacks at them, but Spain sailed solidly and ensured there were no passing lanes.

'Spain deserved their win. They were tactically sound and sailed well. We made a couple of minor mistakes and, on the first beat, the left side of the course did not pay as well as we had expected.

'That’s really where the race was won and lost.'

No sailing tomorrow.

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