Issue date
“Happy with everything but the starts.” Emirates Team New Zealand helm Peter Burling sums up performance on the first race day of the Extreme Sailing Series regatta at Qingdao, China.
It was Burling’s first race in an Extreme 40 for a year.
The breeze was light and every one of the 12 teams struggled in the strong tide. A start-line collision between Oman Air and GAC Pindar knocked the Omani team out before racing had begun.
With a “pretty big” hole in the port hull, the boat returned to the dock for repairs and a race to get back on the water for the second day.
Starts apart, Burling was happy with the first day of racing and how the pressure-cooker practice the previous day paid off. “Our manoeuvres – gybes and tacks – were good but we were showing the obvious disadvantages of not doing the first two regattas in the series.
“It was tough to get off the line. We were pleased with the way we could climb back through the fleet after being back in the pack.”
“We need to make a few subtle changes to our techniques and get some better starts.”
Emirates Team New Zealand finished the day mid-fleet and the crew is determined to improve. “You can’t win a regatta on the first day and we certainly didn’t lose it.”
Tomorrow the fleet movers closer inshore to the “stadium” inside the Qingdao breakwater, where the winds will be shiftier, the courses tighter and eight more quick-fire races are scheduled.
Extreme Sailing Series Qingdao
Standings after Day 1, 8 races
1st Alinghi (SUI) 64 points.
2nd The Wave, Muscat (OMA) 50 points.
3rd Team Extreme Qingdao (CHN)
4th Realteam by Realstone (SUI) 47 points.
5th Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 45 points.
6th Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 40 points.
7th Groupama Sailing Team (FRA) 39 points.
8th Gazprom Team Russia (RUS) 37 points.
9th SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 33 points.
10th J.P. Morgan BAR (GBR) 29 points.
11th GAC Pindar (AUS) 17 points.
12th Oman Air (OMA) 0 points.
