Yachting: Helmsmen value match racing

By JULIE ASH

A lack of wind ruled out any sailing on the third day of the international match racing regatta on the Waitemata Harbour yesterday.

That means a rejig for officials, with the final three flights in the round-robin competition and the quarter-finals now taking place today, and the semifinals and final tomorrow.

But while the organisers had a frustrating day yesterday, there was good news for officials at the next stop on the Swedish Match Tour.

All but two of the 12 in Auckland for the Steinlager Line 7-sponsored event will compete in the Congressional Cup in Long Beach, California, from April 7-13.

The absentees will be world No 1 Magnus Holmberg and GBR Challenge's Ian Walker.

Swedish Match tour spokesperson Shawn McBride said that when the tour started three years ago organisers were concerned it would struggle to attract sailors who were heavily involved in the America's Cup.

"But it has been the opposite," he said. "From what I have heard, the guys say this is their chance to have a break from testing and training - they need to get out and do some competitive sailing."

McBride said that when it came down to it, America's Cup sailing was just further out in the harbour in bigger boats.

"It's all match racing. There is the same skill and the same tactics and the same starting procedure where everyone is jostling for the line.

"It is similar, and a mix of the America's Cup teams use it as part of their training."

After three of the eight tour events, Victory Challenge's Holmberg is at the top of the leaderboard with 62 points.

Oracle Racing's Peter Holmberg (no relation) is second on 55 and Prada's Gavin Brady is third, 23 points back.

Team New Zealand's Dean Barker, Victory Challenge's Jesper Bank and Denmark's Jes Gram-Hansen are fourth equal with 20 points. American Ed Baird completes the top eight with 15.

The top eight in the tour receive a share of $US200,000 ($455,000) with the overall winner netting $US 60,000 ($136,000).

French yachtsman Luc Pillot is leading the round-robin competition in the Auckland event, ahead of Magnus Holmberg, Gram-Hansen and Brady.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup