Emirates Team NZ win Louis Vuitton

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'Synergy (RUS) try to force an error on Emirates Team New Zealand to shake off their penalty in the fourth final. Louis Vuitton Trophy. La Maddalena, Sardinia, Italy. 6/6/2010' Chris Cameron/ETNZ

Emirates Team NZ have won their third Louis Vuitton sailed off La Maddalena, Sardinia.

The New Zealand team came from behind at 2-0 to win three races and take the trophy in the best of five series.

The turning point in the regatta came as Synergy and Emirates Team New Zealand rounded the leeward mark at the end of leg 2 in race 3 of the final series, when Synergy, who was two up in the series and leading by a useful margin, made a spinnaker snaffu rounding the mark and dropped over 100 metres on the New Zealanders who performed a perfect drop and took off to take their first win in the series.

In the fourth race a penalty against Synergy created an interesting fourth leg, as Synergy attempted to use her lead to obtain an offsetting penalty. However that was in vain, and in fact Emirates Team New Zealand were able to pass the Russian team and take their second win.

Emirates Team New Zealand made a tight race of it in the final race of the series, establishing a small lead at the first mark and then covering while working the angles to extend slightly.

The race was handed to the New Zealanders when Synergy's spinnaker split just before the finish line, and a narrow margin turned into a comfortable win for Emirates Team NZ.

In the end it was the Kiwis ability to perform under pressure that carried the day for them, and Synergy could not match the experience and power of the New Zealanders.

You would have to go a long way to see better match racing than this Final day, and coupled with outstanding video coverage, the Louis Vuitton Trophy series found its feet today, after a difficult regatta.




by Richard Gladwell