Yachting: Team NZ make sound start

Emirates Team New Zealand scored a second and a third on the first day of the fleet racing in Act 9 of the Louis Vuitton yachting series at Trapani in Spain overnight. 

After two races Team New Zealand are third overall on 21 points, behind Oracle with New Zealand's Chris Dickson at the helm (a first and second) and Alinghi on 22 (a first and third).  

Emirates Team New Zealand started the five-race fleet racing regatta seeking consistency at the top of the fleet. 

Conditions today were tricky and experience showed with three of "big four" in the fleet -- Team New Zealand, Alinghi and Oracle -- top finishers in both races.  

Italy's Luna Rossa did not have a happy first race finishing 11th, then led around the first mark on race two, finally finishing fourth.  

The big improver in the fleet was the South African Team Shosholoza fifth in both races.  

In the first race, light and fluky conditions delayed the start and tested afterguards as they searched for a winning course through the shifting breeze.  

Oracle and Team NZ got the best of the shifts and rounded the three marks first and second. Alinghi was third round the first two marks but suffered on the second beat to drift back in the fleet.  

Then the sky darkened and the breeze strengthened as the fleet dashed to the finish, shredding spinnakers and challenging crews. The breeze gusted to more than 25 knots.  

Oracle managed to hold on to their lead and Team NZ was second across the line, Alinghi ran down Team Germany and South Africa to finish third.  

In the second race, sailed in more settled conditions, Team NZ sailed well, rounding the first and second marks in fourth place, moving up to third at the third mark and was third across the finish line.  

- NZPA