Yachting: Team NZ extend lead in Medcup series

Team New Zealand today extended their lead in the MedCup yachting regatta in Italy, with a second placing in the latest race off Sardinia.

On a hot day on the Gulf of Cagliari, Swedish yacht Artemis scored a clinical victory in the day's only race, a 29.2km coastal contest, to climb into second overall above Argentina's Matador.

Artemis finished 35 seconds ahead of Team NZ, with Spanish entry Bribon almost three minutes further back.

Team NZ tactician Ray Davies said the NZL380 crew had "a great day" off Sardinia.

"There was a bit of fortune involved but we sailed well as well, so it was a bit of both," he said.

"We had a very good first downwind leg and passed a couple of boats at the bottom of the run and that set us up well."

Team NZ caught up to Matador at the midway stage of the race and overtook them on the next downwind leg to slip into second spot, but Artemis was able to stay in front until the end.

"It was a bit of leader's race," Davis said.

The result opened out Team NZ's lead over the rest of the fleet to 5.5 points in the Cagliari regatta, which has two more days of racing.

The regatta, which is sailed in TP52s, is the third of five in the MedCup series, in which Team NZ leads overall by 19.5 points. Artemis navigator Michele Ivaldi said Team NZ was in a dominant position, but there was still all to play for.

"For the midpoint of the season, Team NZ is really, really strong," he said.

"They have great starts all the time and they almost have probability to be in the top five at each top mark."

But while he praised Team NZ's tactics and boat handling, Ivaldi added that "nothing is over and we won't be giving up any points".

- NZPA