Yachting: We'll keep up the pace, vows Barker

New Zealand's black boat races defender Alinghi upwind during their meeting on Thursday, won by New Zealand in a performance that has pleased skipper Dean Barker. Picture / Reuters

VALENCIA - Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker is confident his crew can maintain their intensity and pace throughout the semifinals and finals of the 12th America's Cup regatta.

Team New Zealand were unbeaten in the round-robin competition, knocking off main rivals Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing by convincing margins in their last two races.

Finishing first in the round-robin gave them the right to choose their opponents in the semifinals. They chose Chris Dickson's BMW Oracle Racing, and squared off overnight in the best-of-three race series.

The winners will advance to the final, where they will meet the winners of the Alinghi and Luna Rossa match in a best-of-three series. The two losers of the semifinals will also square off in a petit final.

With next year's final pre-regatta a fleet racing regatta, this event is the last time the challengers will officially race Alinghi before the America's Cup.

Team New Zealand have been a class act. Crew work is back to its slick level, the boat is going well and there have been no signs of gear failure.

Which doesn't leave a lot to improve on heading into the crucial part of the regatta.

"We are not looking to magically start doing things 10 times better," Barker said.

"We feel if we can continue to sail the same way, we might lose a race, but the averages say we should be able to keep winning as well, and that is really the goal."

Team New Zealand's new boat, NZL84, continues to impress in light and moderate conditions. Barker said the boat's performance had been pleasing considering they left Auckland completely unsure how it would fare against their opponents.

"We were hopeful that the boat would be competitive. In the end what you are hoping for is at least a boat that is equal with the other teams.

"Having raced all the teams, bar Alinghi and their new boat, we feel like we have achieved that and we are at least equal with everyone we have come up against.

"We may have a couple of weaknesses still to work on. In general we are very pleased with where the boat is positioned against the fleet."