Team NZ sweep into regatta final

By JULIE ASH

Team New Zealand and their America's Cup-winning yacht NZL60 have proved they are still a top combination, charging into the finals of the match-racing in the America's Cup International Regatta yesterday with a day to spare.

Light winds again provided an extra challenge on the third day of the regatta on the Hauraki Gulf, but that did not stop Team New Zealand from securing wins over Britain's GBR Challenge and Sweden's Victory Challenge.

Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said the regatta was a great learning exercise for the team and they had used the opportunity to rotate the crew.

"We were really pleased with today," he said. "We had a good day. It was two important wins but it was a really hard, long day."

He said the conditions were light and shifty.

"It is just the nature of the weather system that is over us at the moment. It makes the breeze quite unstable and definitely brings an element of luck into it."

Barker said it was great to have secured a spot in the final but he expected some close competition between GBR, OneWorld and Victory Challenge today for the other finals spot.

In yesterday's race against GBR, the British team were first off the line but Team New Zealand read the wind better and by the first mark were over three minutes ahead.

GBR made up some distance before the final leg but were not able to overtake Barker and NZL60, who won by 2m 6s.

In their second race, against the Swedes, Team New Zealand dominated the pre-start and kept their opponents above the line until the gun fired. The pair started nearly three minutes late with the Swedes more than 20s behind, and Team New Zealand rounded the first mark 20s ahead.

The Swedes, with Jesper Bank at the helm, closed the gap and the pair were involved in a gybing duel in the falling breeze before Team New Zealand won by 1m 4s.

In other races, Seattle's OneWorld beat Victory Challenge by 32s. OneWorld were first over the line, leaving the Swedish boat almost a minute behind.

By the time they had reached the first mark, the Swedes had chipped that margin back to 20s.OneWorld increased their lead before Victory Challenge made a late bid, but it was not enough.

GBR beat OneWorld in a nailbiter by five seconds, courtesy of a penalty. OneWorld - with Australian Peter Gilmour at the helm - collected a penalty after a near collision on the second cross.

OneWorld made up a 59s deficit on the final run and would have won but for having to do their penalty turn as they approached the finish.

The British squeezed past to take the point as that penalty turn was being completed.

Match racing continues today and the final is tomorrow. The regatta ends on Sunday with a fleet race from Tiritiri Matangi Island to the harbour bridge.

Points: Team New Zealand 4, OneWorld 2, Victory Challenge and GBR 1.

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