Team New Zealand wins Louis Vuitton Trophy

BY ROBERT LOWE

Team New Zealand saved the best to last today with a clinical sailing performance off Auckland to complete a 2-0 victory over Italians Mascalzone Latino and claim the Louis Vuitton Trophy.

Up 1-0 at the start of the day, skipper Dean Barker and his crew cruised to a 56sec win in race two of a final shortened by light and patchy winds.

The key period of the race came when the boats rounded top mark for the first time.

Mascazone, skippered by New Zealander Gavin Brady, had made it a close contest up the first beat, with the boats bow-to-bow near the end of the leg.

But Team NZ established an inside overlap that allowed them to round the mark in front and then threw in an early gybe that edged them further ahead.

From there, they controlled proceedings on the Hauraki Gulf.

The result was a satisfying one for Team NZ, who went down to a surprise defeat to another Italian crew, Azzurra, in the final of the inaugural LV Trophy event in France last November.

It also marked the second year in a row that they had won an America's Cup-class regatta on home waters, having taken the one-off Louis Vuitton Pacific Series last year.

Barker was delighted with the syndicate's latest success, given the closeness of the competition within the eight-strong fleet over the past fortnight.

"The standard is getting higher and it's been a real battle, so we're thrilled with the result," he said.

Team NZ had had to survive a real scare in their semifinal to reach the showdown with Mascalzone.

Facing elimination against Azzurra on Friday, they pulled off a stunning penalty turn just out from the finish line for a 2sec win that kept them alive.

"It's always satisfying when you feel that you're sailing your best on the last day, and today we were sailing really well," Barker said.

"But we have to make sure we lift our act early in these events, that we're not scraping through because, every now and then, it will backfire on you."

Team NZ now turn their attention their TP52 campaign and the defence of their MedCup title, with the first of the circuit's five regattas taking place in Portugal from May 11 to 16.

Brady said taking part in the final was "huge" for Mascalzone, who were making a return to elite match-racing after challenging for the America's Cup in 2007.

"We proved we can compete with the best in the world," he said.

"It's been a long road to get to the final. You have to go through a lot of ups and downs so it's a true test of the team to get as far as we did."

Mascalzone will have home advantage when the next LV Trophy event is held in Sardinia from May 22 to June 6.

As well, while the Auckland regatta was sailed in yachts provided by Team NZ, the racing at La Maddlena will be in Mascalzone's America's Cup boats.

- NZPA