KEY POINTS:
Gavin Brady and Adam Minoprio lead the way in the New Zealand match-racing championships, surviving yesterday's helter skelter conditions on the Waitemata Harbour.
Blustery conditions meant that only five of the nine races in the second round were completed.
The remaining four races are scheduled for today. Organisers
will also hope to at least start the semifinals today with the final scheduled for tomorrow.
Like the opening day, the tide was again a dominant factor yesterday and combined with the strong breeze, created some entertaining sailing.
Among those to take a pounding was Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker who saw the harbour flash before his eyes broaching in his match against Adam Minoprio.
But if Barker thought he was having a bad day, spare a thought for the race committee who found themselves stranded in the harbour after their anchor got stuck.
Minoprio, 21, continues to be man of the moment. Following his opening day's performance where he scored seven wins from nine races - the laid back youngster started the day with a win against his older brother Simon, ranked 14th in the world, and ended it with a stunning win against Barker, who copped a penalty just after the start.
BMW Oracle Racing's Gavin Brady remains at the top of the leaderboard, equal on points with Minoprio.
Oracle skipper and chief executive Chris Dickson is third and Barker is fourth just ahead of Graeme Sutherland .
Brady said yesterday's conditions would leave many sailors feeling a little worse for wear.
"Most of the events we do in Valencia on the America's Cup boats and on the [match-racing] tour are not in 20 to 25 knots of wind, so it is a very different style of sailing," Brady said.
He said everyone was getting "pushed to their limits".
Although Minoprio has a slight advantage over his more seasoned rivals in that he has spent more time sailing in the MRX yachts and training on the harbour recently, Brady said he was doing an outstanding job.
Both Brady and Minoprio are graduates of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's youth training programme which teaches young sailors match-racing skills.
"The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's Youth Programme is the best thing that ever happened to New Zealand sailing," Brady said.
"I came through it. Mark Christensen, who has won three round-the-world races, came through it. Two guys off our boat are off the scheme."
Brady is back sailing with Oracle after leaving last year.
"I have a good relationship with Chris [Dickson]. I have no real role set in the team at the moment, just trying to find a place where I can contribute the best that I can."