Yachting: Team NZ on top

Two excellent victories gave Emirates Team New Zealand an outright win in the round robin of the pre-America's Cup Louis Vuitton yachting series in Valencia, Spain, overnight.

NZL 84 beat Cup holders Alinghi, of Switzerland, by one minute 12 seconds then got the better of BMW Oracle, of the United States, by 1min 14sec.

With 11 successive wins, the New Zealanders were clear at the top of the leaderboard, one point ahead of Italian yacht Luna Rossa and two clear of Alinghi and BMW Oracle.

Team New Zealand leader Grant Dalton was naturally delighted with the performance of both his crew and boat.

"Winning the round robin was a great achievement for (skipper) Dean Barker and the boys," Dalton said.

"They sailed very well and over the 11 matches we learned much more about the yacht's strengths.

"Unfortunately the points we earned in the round robin count for nothing in the semifinals and the final."

After a rest day tomorrow Team New Zealand head into the semifinals when the fleet of 12 splits into three divisions.

The top four then pair off into two semifinals in a best-of-three shootout.

The winners of the semifinals then sail off to decide the winners of the regatta.

"So even though we have won the round robin, a couple of poor races could mean that we finish the regatta in third or fourth place," Dalton said.

"The win does give us the right to choose our opponent in the semis, but it's debatable if that's an advantage."

Showdown

The showdown with Alinghi was highly anticipated and began in a light and shifty breeze, putting pressure on tactics and boat handling.

In the pre-start, NZL 84 forced the Swiss over the line and held them there until they were ready to head at speed for the pin-end of the line and claim the left.

Alinghi gained an early advantage to the right, then NZL 84 got the shift the afterguard was looking for and was ahead at the first cross.

NZL 84 maintained a loose cover, but by playing the shifts and controlling the race from the left, extended their advantage to 1min 5sec at the first mark.

The breeze softened on the first run and SUI 75 was able to close to 45sec at the second mark, with both yachts rounding the left-hand buoy.

On the second windward leg, NZL 84 was in total control and led by 1min 17sec at the third mark.

Downwind NZL 84 made sure no passing lanes opened up, matching SUI 75 gybe for gybe and finishing ahead by a comfortable margin.

"We worked hard for every second, reading the breeze really well and our tactics won the day," Dalton said.

Against BMW Oracle, Barker cleaned out the American boat at the start when claiming the right of the course 13sec ahead and quickly established a healthy lead.

NZL 84 then sailed to the left of the course seeking an anticipated wind shift and a 50-60m lead quickly became 250m then 300m which translated into a 1min 16sec at the top mark.

It was an advantage they would not waste.

- NZPA