Yachting: Team NZ thrive in erratic breezes

All4One's (left) decision to post a windspotter up the mast for their race against Mascalzone Latino paid off, with the Franco-German team leveraging a patch of fresh breeze into a 44s victory. Photo / Brett Phibbs

While other sailors grimaced at Auckland's aloof sea breezes yesterday, Emirates Team New Zealand tactician Ray Davies gave them the welcoming grin of an old friend.

Few know the fickle winds of the Waitemata as well as Davies, and he spotted them well before his rivals to give Team NZ a comprehensive first win on day one of the Louis Vuitton Trophy regatta.

"It was so tricky, it was awesome," Davies said after the 1m 40s victory over Paul Cayard's Swedish Artemis team. "The winds around North Head and the 'Ngapipi Road Lift' - that's what makes it so challenging and so enjoyable."

The northwest wind refused to appear until mid-afternoon, and then it was standoffish - rarely blowing over seven knots and darting all over the harbour.

Six hours later racing began, but by the time Team NZ and Artemis started in the early evening, the breeze was streaky and outgoing tide strong. That's where the Kiwis' local knowledge gave them the edge.

Skipper Dean Barker made an exact start, hitting the line with speed. Davies played the windshifts perfectly, directing Barker to take the boat left, then right, then left again, to build a 55s lead over Artemis at the first mark.

But with the wind continuing to swing, Artemis, helmed by former Team NZ tactician Terry Hutchinson, made a huge gain downwind, slicing the gap to 12s.

The Kiwis were hellbent on going left once again, and prospered, finding another steady breeze, riding the outgoing tide, and Artemis lost ground in the lee of North Head.

"We had a good feeling out there, but unless you have control of the race you don't have the options. We had a good start, so we could play the shifts."

Azzurra, winners of the Louis Vuitton Trophy in Nice last year, also played it smart to notch up their first victory over TeamOrigin.

As the Italians' helmsman Francesco Bruni cheered his crew at the finish line, British skipper Ben Ainslie apologised to his, crossing 53s behind after a blunder at the first mark.

From the start, Azzurra stole a march on the left side of the course, but when the pair converged near the top mark, TeamOrigin held the inside advantage. Ainslie looked in control, pushing Azzurra well past the marker buoy.

Though the Brits rounded 6s ahead, Bruni kept his head, and the Italians executed a quick and clean spinnaker hoist, forcing Ainslie's crew to gybe away and decelerate rapidly. Azzurra pounced, pulling away to a 40s lead at the downwind gate, and covered any British move to recover.

Putting a man up the mast before the race paid off for All4One in their opening encounter with the reborn Mascalzone Latino Audi.

Windspotter Olivier Douillard saw a patch of dark water - a sign of a fresh breeze - on the right side of the course and All4One helmsman Sebastien Col chased that end of the startline.

Although the Italians won the start heading to the left, All4One stuck to the right, leading at the top mark by 19s and stretching to win the run home by 44s.

In the dying evening light, ALEPH and Russian Synergy were neck-and-neck until the Russians dropped the spinnaker in the tide, handing the French an easy victory.

TODAY'S DRAW

Round robin flight 2
(from 10am)

* TeamOrigin v All4One
* Mascalzone Latino Audi v Emirates Team New Zealand
* Azzurra v Russian Synergy
* ALEPH Sailing Team v Artemis