September 9, 2013 12:00pm by David Farrar

2 to -2

The Herald reported:

Seven to go. Emirates Team NZ lead 2 to -2 in the 34th America’s Cup.

But, okay, Sir Russell Coutts and Larry Ellison, you can take a bow now. That was all that was promised.

Maybe there should be medical disclaimers: you know, ‘Doctors warn that watching the America’s Cup can be hazardous to your health’.
It’s difficult to remember (possibly because there isn’t one) an America’s Cup this tense.
In race one, we saw the previously unseen – lead changes. Two of them . Count them. There was aggressive sailing from Oracle Team USA skipper Jimmy Spithill, nail-biting near misses and enough to know this is going to be a close-run thing.

These two boats are close in speed and close in the skill that sails them. When Team NZ seemed to be in control, Spithill struck. Barker rounded the bottom mark close to the actual mark to choke Spithill and OTUSA off.

He lost impetus, OTUSA pulled off a slingshot move round the outside, gaining advantage and momentum. Later in the third leg, upwind, the USA team tacked aggressively, wresting the lead off Team NZ. But Barker struck back, with Aotearoa’s expected upwind speed a boon, and tacked back into the lead – establishing the control that led to a 36s win.

That was like a race of old. Actual race tactics, rather than just being about the best design!

Race 3 and 4 will have occurred by the time this appears. I’m on a plane at the moment! Hopefully now 4 to -2.

The next races are:

Wednesday, September 11

Race Five 0810 – 0840
Race Six 0910 – 0940

Friday, September 13

Race Seven 0810 – 0840
Race Eight 0910 – 0940

Sunday, September 15

Race Nine 0810 – 0840
Race 10 0910 – 0940

Monday, September 16
Race 11 0810 – 0840
Race 12 0910 – 0940

Wednesday, September 18

Race 13 0810 – 0840
Race 14 0910 – 0940