Yachting: Wins extend Team NZ lead

Team NZ slice through the water to take the second race. Photo / Supplied

Team New Zealand's dominance of the MedCup yachting series continued yesterday as they grabbed two wins in the afternoon's two races in Spain.

Competition finally started in the season finale at Cartagena after weather-forced postponements on the first two days, and skipper Dean Barker and his crew turned on the style.

They produced what commentators described as a flawless display in two challenging big-breeze contests.

"We went from one extreme to another. For two days there wasn't enough wind to get racing away and today it cut loose," Team NZ boss Grant Dalton said.

Team NZ revelled in the short, steep seas and gusty winds which hit 27 knots. There were equipment failures and shredded sails on other boats, but NZL380 escaped unscathed.

"These were difficult conditions and Dean Barker had the boat on edge, particularly downwind. That's not easy to do - you only had to look at the mess that was occurring behind us," Dalton said.

Team NZ, in their first foray at the MedCup, which is sailed in TP52 monohulls, have the championship virtually in their pocket with just two days of racing left. Their lead, commanding before the start of the regatta, has extended to 64.5 points.

Tactician Ray Davies said the biggest worry in the high-speed, wet and bumpy conditions was breaking something on board.

"You do all you can to prevent that, but on the other hand you can't sail slow," he said.

"It was fantastic crew work all round. Years sailing together make that difference which is as well because a lot of the time it is just about impossible to communicate."

Davies revealed that, apart from calling tactics, his role included keeping helmsman Barker wedged inside the boat as it ploughed through walls of white water.

"It was a great day ... even more fun than it looked.

"I had to adopt a position I have never had to do before - facing aft with my feet wedged against the runner winch with my back to Dean to stop him sliding aft. I was the human wedge."

Argentine entry Matador had been second on the points table at the start of the day, but a series of mishaps and breakages dropped them to fourth.

Sweden's Artemis climbed to second, five points ahead of United States yacht Quantum Racing.

- NZPA