Peter Burling, helmsman for Emirates Team New Zealand, speaks during a news conference Friday, June 16, 2017, in Hamilton, Bermuda. Photo / AP.
Chris Steele lists four reasons Team New Zealand are looking good (or even great).
1) The Kiwis didn't just win two races today, they won both starts and that is down to tactical ability, not the boat speed. That's a sure sign that the Kiwis are still improving, and a
testament to how fast helmsman Peter Burling is advancing as a match racer.
2) TNZ and their fans are haunted by San Francisco, where they blew an 8-1 lead. However, the lessons they have learnt from there will no doubt be applied. In 2013, Oracle were able to beef up their sailing team by adding Ben Ainslie, but this time they are already at capacity. We've heard about all the emphasis on boat development from the Kiwi camp - they are under no illusions and seem to be on top of their game.
3) The six day gap this week (after two more races on Monday NZ time) will help Oracle improve their light air package, but TNZ will continue to make modifications and continue to raise the bar.
4) Oracle has all the work to do. Heavier winds will make Oracle more competitive than they were today. However, from what we've seen TNZ will also be very competitive in those conditions, and those races will be tight. It is quite hard to predict Bermuda weather days in advance. When I'm in Bermuda I never take much notice of long range forecasts because it is such an isolated piece of land. Conditions can change quite quickly. We will have a better idea about what to expect two to three days out. If it is light, great. If it is stronger, TNZ still has the boat speed to win. At about 15 knots, it will come down to sailing ability, but once again Peter Burling and co have shown shown promising signs today.
Chris Steele, from Devonport, is a world top-10 match racer and the only Kiwi to win a world optimist title.
