Yachting: Team NZ retain third place

Emirates Team New Zealand remained third overall after a disappointing third and fifth place in the two races on the second day of fleet racing in Act 9 of the Louis Vuitton yachting series in Trapani, Spain, overnight.

The day began with the leader board reading: US Oracle team on 23 points, Switzerland's Alinghi on 22, and Team New Zealand on 21.

It ended with Alinghi leading on 46 points, Oracle on 45 and Team New Zealand on 39 points.

On the water, Alinghi had two wins, with Oracle two second places.

It was not the best of days for Team NZ, with a fifth in the first race and a third in the second.

However, it was enough to retain third overall seven points clear of the fourth-placed South African Shosholoza team

Team NZ boss Grant Dalton said the team had a lot of factors to consider going into the day.

"The overnight points situation dictated that we had to stay as close as possible to Alinghi and BMW Oracle.

"We also had to watch Shosholoza which was on 16 points overnight. If they had had a good result today and we had a poor one and few boats finished ahead of us and behind them they could have headed us on the leaderboard.

"For that reasons we couldn't afford to sail our own race because of the distinct possibility, in the conditions on the course, of finding ourselves well down the rankings."

Dalton said the team didn't quite maintain the level of consistency they had been looking for, but had to be satisfied with the rankings at the end of today.

"We need another top three place in tomorrow's race to retain our ranking. As we have seen over the past few days we will have a fight on our hands."

- NZPA