KEY POINTS:
I would give Team New Zealand average marks after the first week of racing in the challenger series. They are on track for a semifinal spot and the goal of being top qualifier is still achievable.
This is the first time we have seen NZL92 race. It is a development of their first boat, NZL84, but looks like it has been optimised for lighter winds, which wouldn't surprise me for this venue.
It also looks as if they might have pushed the downwind window a bit. NZL84 was pretty quick down wind. This boat looks even quicker. The reasons for that could be the fin, bulb, hull shape, sail development - or all of the above. There has been work done in that area.
In terms of the evolution of their boats, they certainly tested the water with NZL84 and liked the result after act 12 (which they won), and it just seems like they have pushed a little harder.
NZL92 might be a bit narrower, but if so only a touch. It is more in the refining of that concept. NZL92 seems quite manoeuvrable. Maybe NZL84 was, too, but NZL92 looks to have some nice acceleration in the pre-start.
Some of that is the way they sail the boat, some of it might be something going on underneath, like the size of rudder in relation to the bulb.
They have stayed with four spreader rigs. Everyone else has got three. They seem happy with that. Hardware wise, they are in a good position.
In terms of the crew, their first race loss to Mascalzone Latino shook the hell out of them. It was a really bad performance.
What is important is what looks to have happened after that. I assume they had a round-table, a heart-to-heart and what we are seeing now is a focused, defined game plan and defined roles within the crew. There is no waffle. It reminds me a bit of the way they were sailing last year. There are a few parallels to last year, actually. Act 10 was not a great regatta for them but when they regrouped a month later were sailing a lot better.
The effect of losing strategist Adam Beashell to injury is still significant. There is a hole there.
Mark Mendelblatt is going well, but I think they miss Beashell. But they are coping.
Terry Hutchinson [tactician], Kevin Hall [navigator] and Ray Davies [strategist] seem to be working well. I think that, overall, the afterguard is doing a good job.
They have a good relationship with the weather team and that confidence in one another is important.
We don't talk much about the guys in the front of the boat, like Matthew Mason [mastman], Barry McKay [in the pit], and grinders Rob Waddell and Jono McBeth, but they are dependable and strong. But seeing Mason in the breeze the other day - he is a powerhouse.
So, after a week, Team New Zealand are going okay. They are on track for the semis. That is when you can expect to see the game go up a notch.
