Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:03a.m.
Team New Zealand fell to their first defeat in the Louis Vuitton Trophy yachting regatta in the south of France today, beaten by Britain's Team Origin in a much-anticipated duel.
Skippered by former Team NZ back-up helmsman Ben Ainslie, Team Origin won an exciting battle off Nice by 32 seconds.
However, the New Zealanders still finished the first round-robin stage tied in top spot with Italians Azzurra, both with six wins and one loss.
Team Origin were third with a 5-2 record.
The Team NZ-Team Origin contest began with split tacks, and the key moment was when the boats came together for the third time late in the opening leg.
Ainslie called a slam-dunk tack on rival skipper Dean Barker and pinned Team NZ to leeward.
Moments later, both boats were luffing head-to-wind with Team NZ to the right.
Team Origin fell off on to starboard tack, built speed, tacked to port and sailed over the bow of Team NZ.
They rounded the top mark 21 seconds ahead and stayed in front.
"It was always going to be a tough match against Team Origin," Barker said. "It was disappointing to lose the race, but you always learn more in your losses than your wins. We're pleased with the way we're sailing and we can do better."
Ainslie said he had plenty of respect for Team NZ and was delighted with the result.
"Having spent a lot of time there sailing with those guys in the last America's Cup, it's always nice to have a good race with them, and to come away with a win was good," he said. "It was a very tight race."
The two-week regatta, the first in a newly-established world series sailed in America's Cup-class boats, now moves on to a shortened second round-robin, followed by knockout semifinals.
NZPA
