Team NZ get chance at revenge on Azzurra

Team New Zealand will get a shot at revenge tomorrow when they face Italians Azzurra in the semifinals of the Louis Vuitton Trophy yachting regatta off Auckland.

As top seeds, Team NZ were given the choice of which of the three other remaining crews they wanted to face.

They picked Azzurra, who pulled off a surprise 2-0 victory over them in the final of the inaugural LV Trophy event in France last November.

The other best-of-three semifinal on the Waitemata Harbour will pit another Italian entry, Mascalzone Latino, against Sweden's Artemis.

Team NZ and Mascalzone were given the day off today, having already qualified for the last four thanks to victories in the first elimination round yesterday.

In the battle to decide who qualified to join them, Artemis beat Britain's Team Origin by 38sec, while Azzurra downed the French-German All4One by 20sec.

Both matches were reduced from a best-of-three to a solitary race after lack of wind delayed the start time.

The Artemis-Origin showdown featured a split tack start in 14-knot breezes and an early cross, with Origin, on port tack, managing to pass clear of Artemis, whose appeal for a penalty was turned down.

Origin, skippered by triple Olympic champion Ben Ainslie, stayed in front during a tight battle over the first two legs before what turned out to be the decisive part of the contest.

On the second upwind beat, the British crew allowed a large separation between the boats.

Artemis, with Paul Cayard as skipper and fellow American Terry Hutchinson on the helm, found something extra on the right-hand side of the course to hit the lead.

By the top mark, the margin was already a comfortable 28sec and Artemis extended that to 38sec over the run home despite nursing a tear on their gennaker.

Artemis grinder Craig Monk said it had taken two weeks, but everything was starting to fall in place for the Swedish team.

"I don't want to jinx it, but I think it's coming together for us now," said Monk, an America's Cup winner with Team NZ.

"We're not worried too much who we race from here on in. I just think we are on an upward curve as a team."

With the wind building to about 18 knots, Azzurra led from start to finish against All4One.

In the pre-start, skipper Francesco Bruni and his afterguard hunted All4One, who copped a penalty for failing to keep clear.

All4One's challenge was further hit when they dropped their gennaker into the water at the bottom gate.

Azzurra's victory in Nice came in light airs and their practice in Valencia before coming to Auckland was in similar conditions.

However, tactician Tommaso Chieffi was confident his crew would be competitive against Team NZ in the heavier conditions.

"Every time we come back after a 20-knot day, we come back with new ideas and ways of learning and improving," he said.

"It's been a pretty steep curve for the Azzurra team. We know now we can sail competitively even in the bigger breezes."

In their round-robin meeting last Sunday, Team NZ beat Azzurra by 42sec.

- NZPA