Emirates Team New Zealand played patient game to beat Mascalzone Latino

Day 7 at Dubai and Dean Barker and the crew sailing NZL 84 played a patient game to beat Mascalzone Latino and take two more points in round robin 2 of the Louis Vuitton Trophy.

Dean Barker led all the way in a race that was sailed in the late afternoon, with fading light and fading breeze. It was shifty, too.

It was tight all the way. The margins at the marks were: mark 1m 9s; mark 2, 11s; mark 3, 9s and at the finish Emirates Team New Zealand was only 10s ahead.

The team got a great start to the right and wide of Mascalzone Latino. NZL84 was able to stay with Mascalzone Latino, sailing NZL92, all the way to the left layline. NZL84 rounded first.

The afterguard correctly picked the left of the course on the second beat. With Mascalzone Latino looking strong in the right, New Zealander played the patient game.

They picked up the anticipated breeze as they approached the top mark for the second time; they went around first and Mascalzone Latino could not find a passing lane on the run to the finish.

Tactician Ray Davies said: “We liked what we saw in the left in the second beat and decided to back ourselves and stick with it because in the conditions it was too difficult to put a close cover on them.

“The breeze was dropping and it was quite shifty. Tough conditions and a tough opponent.”

Overall round robin points at the end of Day 7:

BMWOracle 13 points

Emirates Team New Zealand  8.5

All4ONE  6

Artemis 5

Synergy  4

Mascalzone Latino 4