Martin Tasker: A case of much-needed practice for Team New Zealand

Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling. Photo / Jason Oxenham.

It was a case of some much need practice racing for Emirates Team New Zealand in Bermuda today, lining up twice against the Swedes on Artemis and heading both races before both teams pulled the plug.

But the key 'take-homes' will be that the performance of the boats is very even and it takes just one slight mistake to forfeit the lead.

It was an unusually dull grey day for Bermuda but the wind conditions were good with 14 to 18 knots of breeze producing a slight chop on the Grand Sound.

Race one had the boats tied tight from the start line to the first mark after which Artemis eased away down the first run. But closing in on the bottom gate the Swedes splashed down off the foils in a bad gybe.

The cost of the error was immediately apparent with Emirates Team New Zealand swiftly wiping out the Swedes' advantage to take the lead.

Subsequent similar but slighter errors on the Kiwi boat allowed Artemis to close the gap but not by enough get back in front.

Intriguing for recent observers was the decision by Team New Zealand to sail without a jib as sailing coach Ray Davies explained: "It was pretty interesting. We did the first race under wing alone and a few of the boats were trying that and it really came down to manoeuvres (in) that race."

Race two again saw the boats even off the line and they remained close until the second beat when Team New Zealand pushed home the gain they made by virtue of having to complete fewer manoeuvres.

It wasn't all plain sailing for the Kiwis who had a few problems to deal with.

Davies said: "These boats are very complicated and when we first got off the dock we had a couple of issues. It's a bit of a roller coaster at times, very hard to keep these boats at 100 per cent reliability and that is going to be key."

Earlier Artemis pretty much crushed the Brits on the BAR boat, while Oracle and Dean Barker's Japanese team opted not to take part in the racing.

But Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill was out on a chase-boat with tactician Tom Slingsby, keeping a close eye on the Kiwis and the Swedes.