Third straight winning day at Cascais

Third straight winning day at Cascais

August 13 2011

Emirates Team New Zealand has emerged from Day 5 of the Cascais AC45 World Series with its third straight winning day.

With 10 points from three fleet races and a single match race, Emirates Team New Zealand won the day, followed by Oracle Racing 4 on 9 and Oracle Racing 5 on 8.

After trailing Oracle Racing 4 (James Spithill) by five points at the end of fleet racing Barker with Glen Ashby, Winston Macfarlane, James Dagg and Ray Davies engaged them in a tight, tense and thrilling match race to decide the day’s winner.

It was classic America’s Cup match racing just as it was in the monohulls of 2007 and before... a close start, close racing and tacks and gybes aplenty which put a premium on tactical decision-making. There was even a dial down and several lead changes.

It was even at the start. Both boats crossed the line at speed with Oracle 4 to leeward and slightly ahead. Barker was 2s adrift at the first mark. The boats split, came together and split again. On the first upwind leg, Spithill tried a dial down to shake off Barker.

Barker slipped around behind him and headed for the right sIde of the course to set up for an attack. Barker stormed into mark 3 at speed, Oracle’s final approach was slower and Barker got around first.

Then followed several lead changes but there was nothing in it. At Mark 4 Barker was 2s ahead. It was not until the 5th leg that Barker started to feel even a little comfortable. At the finish the delta was 37s.

Earlier in the day Barker emerged from the three fleet races in second place. Oracle 4 was at the top of the leader board with 30 points, having had three straight wins. Barker with a 3,3,2 record had 25 points and Artemis (2,2,4) was also on 25. A countback on the third fleet race gave second place to Emirates Team New Zealand.

At the end of the day, the points table was:

Emirates Team New Zealand 10

Oracle Racing 4 9

Oracle Racing 5 8

Artemis Racing 7

Team Korea 6

Green Comm Racing 5

Energy Team 4

Aleph 3

China Team 3

Match race results

Emirates Team New Zealand beat Oracle Racing 4

Oracle Racing 5 beat Artemis Racing

Green Comm Racing beat Team Korea

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