Video referee comes to the rescue

The “video referee” came to the rescue on Day 2 and saved Emirates Team New Zealand’s overall lead in the China round of the Extreme Sailing Series.

When racing finished for the day it looked like the Austrian team Red Bull had snatched the lead after Dean Barker had been recalled for being over the line early at the start in the last race of the day.

They needed to finish in sixth place or better in that race to retain their overall lead and fought their way from the back of the fleet, climbing to seventh at the finish.

It was not enough and it looked like they had lost their overall lead to Red Bull. Barker - and the team of James Dagg, Glenn Ashby and Jeremy Lomas – were adamant they were not over early.

They got hold of some video footage shot by another team which was inconclusive but appeared to show they were right. Then scrutiny of footage shot for the event organisers proved that Emirates Team New Zealand was not over the line and redress upgraded the team to 4th and the overnight lead was safe.

Only two points separate first and second on the leader board with three days, and a possible 24 races, inside the Qingdao harbour breakwater so anything can still happen.

Overall standings after Day 2
Position / Team / Skipper & crew / Points

1st Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Dean Barker / Glenn Ashby / Jeremy Lomas /James Dagg 98 points
2nd Red Bull Extreme Sailing (AUT), Roman Hagara / Hans Peter Steinacher / Will Howden / Craig Monk 96 points
3rd Alinghi (SUI), Tanguy Cariou / Yann Guichard / Nils Frei / Yves Detrey 92 points
4th Luna Rossa (ITA), Max Sirena / Paul Campbell-James / Alister Richardson / Manuel Modena 92 points
5th Groupe Edmond de Rothschild (FRA), Pierre Pennec / Christophe Espagnon / Thierry Fouchier / Hervé Cunningham 84 points
6th The Wave, Muscat (OMA), Torvar Mirsky / Kyle Langford / Nick Hutton / Khamis Al Anbouri 81 points
7th Artemis Racing (SWE), Santiago Lange / Rodney Ardern / Morgan Trubovich / Andy Fethers 70 points
8th Team Extreme (EUR), Roland Gaebler / Bruno Dubois / Sebbe Godefroid / William Wu 56 points
9th Niceforyou (ITA), Alberto Barovier / Mark Bulkeley / Daniele de Luca Simone de Mari 54 points
10th Oman Air (OMA), Sidney Gavignet / Kinley Fowler / David Carr / Nasser Al Mashari 54 points
11th Team GAC Pindar (GBR), Ian Williams / Brad Webb / Gilberto Nobili / Jono Macbeth