Yachting: Team New Zealand find standards improving

Crew aboard Dean Barker's Emirates Team New Zealand. Photo / Greg Bowker

Team New Zealand are in a three-way tussle for MedCup honours in Barcelona as their ever-improving rivals continue to apply the heat.

The racing in Barcelona has been close all week and most teams agree this is a reflection of a huge lift in the standard of competition this year.

The stage was set for a thrilling finale to the Camper regatta overnight, with just one point separating Emirates Team New Zealand from leaders Team Artemis.

Quantum Racing are lurking in third a further six points back and are also regarded as a threat to take out the third round trophy.

The Kiwi syndicate surrendered their lead on day four of the regatta after some mixed results, slipping back in to second place with a 5th, 3rd and 5th placing in their three races respectively.

That allowed Artemis, skippered by veteran sailor Paul Cayard, to leapfrog them to the top of the leaderboard.

Artemis recorded two wins and a fifth placing on day four and have been sailing consistently all regatta.

Rarely have we seen a regatta so tightly poised heading to the final day.

But Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker believes the series is becoming more competitive and said the congested leaderboard was a result of several teams showing huge improvement over the first few regattas of the series.

The Kiwi team easily took out the circuit last year, winning four of the five regattas. But this year they are finding the going much tougher. In their last outing in Marseille Team New Zealand finished fourth - their worst finish on the MedCup circuit.

"There's some very good teams and they're all sailing their boats well, so there's definitely a lot more emphasis on not making mistakes," said Barker.

"I think the level of the sailing teams is much higher, the guys have learned to sail their boats better. We've probably had slightly tougher conditions than last year so far and that sort of equalises things a lot more."

Barker believes the arrival of Team New Zealand on the circuit last year, as well as the addition of two more America's Cup syndicates this year, has forced the more established MedCup teams to lift their game.

Leaders Artemis are one team that have made an obvious step up in Barcelona.

Artemis, one of the newer boats in the fleet, have always been considered a danger team, but they have struggled to find any consistency over the first two regattas this year. Cayard said he was delighted his team had begun to find their rhythm, sailing high percentage tactically and making the boat work for them.

However, he recognises that in such a strong fleet things could go awry very quickly over the final day if they make a mistake.

"The whole fleet is very competitive, tomorrow you could see Matador win a couple of races the way they're sailing right now. You don't really know who's going to emerge on any given day," said Cayard.

"For the moment we take satisfaction from being on the top of the heap, but we want to be on the top of the heap tomorrow night."

While the congested leaderboard adds to the interest heading into the final day, Cayard admits he would like slightly more breathing room.

But those in the chasing pack have a different view, with Quantum skipper Terry Hutchinson excited about the possibility of such a tense finish.

"I think it's really good. When there's one team that's kind of launched, then it can get boring. But now there's three teams all in with a shot of winning.

"We're just close enough that if they have a bad first race and we can capitalise then it's a good opportunity for us."

While victory in Barcelona is far from assured for Team New Zealand, their overall series lead is unlikely to be threatened.

The Kiwi syndicate's closest rival on the series leaderboard, Audi A1, have had a disappointing regatta. The French-German team were last in the standings heading in to the final day and have lost a lot of ground.

MEDCUP

Points after Day 4 Camper regatta at Barcelona:

1. Artemis (SWE): 31 points

2. Team New Zealand (NZL): 32

3. Quantum Racing (USA): 38

4. Cristabella (GBR): 54

5. TeamOrigin (GBR): 54

6. Bribon (ESP): 57

7. Synergy (RUS): 61

8. Matador (ARG): 63

9. Bigamist 7 (POR): 63

10. Luna Rossa (ITA): 68

11. Audi A1 (FRA/GER): 74