Yachting: Team NZ strengthen title grip

Team New Zealand hold a 50-point lead over Argentina's Matador in the MedCup standings. Photo / Chris Cameron, ETNZ

PORTIMAO - Team New Zealand today slipped back in their short-term goal, but strengthened their grip on the main prize of the Audi MedCup yachting title.

On the shifty day off Portimao, skipper Dean Barker and his crew finished the coastal race in the Portugal Trophy regatta as runners-up behind Swedish boat Artemis.

The contest on a 26.2-nautical-mile course in the Atlantic Ocean carried 1-1/2 times the points value of the 10 other races scheduled in the regatta.

The result split the overnight tie between Team NZ and Artemis, the latter gaining a slim 1.5-point advantage with five races to go over the next two days.

However, in the primary battle for the MedCup series title, Team NZ extended their already comfortable cushion at the top to 50 points over their nearest rivals, Argentina's Matador.

The Portugal Trophy is the fourth of five events on the circuit and mainsail trimmer Don Cowie said Team NZ's major focus was on the bigger picture.

"The bigger picture is the season's points, so it was a good one again today," he said.

"If we walk away from this regatta second or third but still extending in season's points, that's great. If we walk away from here winning it, that's even better."

Team NZ were mid-fleet during the early part of the coastal race, with Matador making most of the early running.

Cowie said there wasn't too much concern on NZL380, because the crew knew that there would be opportunities to make inroads.

Team NZ started to work their way up the fleet, as did Artemis, who had New Zealanders Jared Henderson skippering and Hamish Pepper as strategist, and American Paul Cayard, an America's Cup veteran, calling tactics.

It was on the penultimate leg that Artemis made its big move, moving from fourth to first and sailing away from its pursuers, led by NZL380.

Cowie said a wrong sail choice at the start of the downwind run had resulted in Team NZ being passed by Artemis.

"We went for a Code 0 and Artemis went straight to an A3 spinnaker and they reached through to leeward of us," he said.

"When we peeled to our A3, we were going pretty fast and, when the pressure was up, we almost overtook them. Then the breeze went light again and they seemed to be quicker at that angle."

The final leg was upwind past picturesque white cliffs to a finish line at the mouth of the Arade River.

Artemis crossed after two hours 57 minutes and 44 seconds, with NZL380 39s behind and Matador 1m 22s further back.

Cowie said Team NZ were happy with how things had panned out, adding that the increased weighting of the coastal race meant a good performance had been more important than winning.

"Artemis gets a 1-1/2-point lead on us for this regatta, but we've still got five races to go."

- NZPA