Team NZ takes lead in final
Source: Agencies |
March 21, 2010, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
TEAM New Zealand beat Mascalzone Latino of Italy by 12 seconds yesterday to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five race final at the Louis Vuitton Trophy regatta for America's Cup teams in Auckland.
The Kiwis established a lead on the first beat which endured for most of the race, although the Italians, skippered by New Zealander Gavin Brady, closed and almost headed their rivals after two of four legs.
The remaining races of the series are scheduled for today.
Earlier yesterday, Team New Zealand rallied for a 2-1 victory over Italy's Azzurra in their best-of-three semifinal off the Auckland coast.
Azzurra won the first race on Friday by 18 seconds and New Zealand squared the series in a thrilling second race which it won by an official margin of one second. In the decider yesterday, Team New Zealand gained the lead on the first beat and held it to win by 27 seconds.
"It's always a sense of relief to get to the final," Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said.
"The semis are quite often the ones where there's more on the line. When you're in the final it's the best of five and we've now got an opportunity to really sail well."
Azzurra, skippered by Francesco Bruni, went on to win the one-race petit final against Artemis of Sweden which decided third place at the regatta. Artemis, skippered by American Paul Cayard, incurred two penalties during the race and was convincingly beaten.
The Louis Vuitton regatta provides racing for America's Cup teams locked out of the latest Cup regatta between the American syndicate Oracle and Switzerland's Alinghi.
Oracle beat Alinghi 2-0 in a best-of-three series off Valencia, Spain, in February and will defend the America's Cup, probably off San Francisco, in 2013.
The Kiwis established a lead on the first beat which endured for most of the race, although the Italians, skippered by New Zealander Gavin Brady, closed and almost headed their rivals after two of four legs.
The remaining races of the series are scheduled for today.
Earlier yesterday, Team New Zealand rallied for a 2-1 victory over Italy's Azzurra in their best-of-three semifinal off the Auckland coast.
Azzurra won the first race on Friday by 18 seconds and New Zealand squared the series in a thrilling second race which it won by an official margin of one second. In the decider yesterday, Team New Zealand gained the lead on the first beat and held it to win by 27 seconds.
"It's always a sense of relief to get to the final," Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said.
"The semis are quite often the ones where there's more on the line. When you're in the final it's the best of five and we've now got an opportunity to really sail well."
Azzurra, skippered by Francesco Bruni, went on to win the one-race petit final against Artemis of Sweden which decided third place at the regatta. Artemis, skippered by American Paul Cayard, incurred two penalties during the race and was convincingly beaten.
The Louis Vuitton regatta provides racing for America's Cup teams locked out of the latest Cup regatta between the American syndicate Oracle and Switzerland's Alinghi.
Oracle beat Alinghi 2-0 in a best-of-three series off Valencia, Spain, in February and will defend the America's Cup, probably off San Francisco, in 2013.
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