Team New Zealand put up a 2-to-1 advantage in the finals against the defending Swiss Alenghi team, in an amazing race that saw two changes in lead.
The Kiwis caught an early wind shift to open up an amazing 300+ meter 'blowout' lead, but then lost most of that on a rare crewing error that caught the spinnaker and forced a cut-sheet jibe (as well as the unrelated dippy-dip pictured above). In what looked like brilliant tactics, Alenghi skipper Brad Butterworth challenged the Kiwi team near the top forcing them to defend their position and, thereby, putting them onto a slightly slower tact. Rounding the top he pulled ahead by no more than a boatlength, but the Kiwis gambled a second time, this time on a left hand side wind shift pulling them through; and it worked for what the reported account calls an 'improbable win' and one for the record books.
Video here.
Separately, Formula One racer Lewis Hamliton, mentioned on these pages, has the driver's lead, with two weeks to go to Silverstone. (McClaren well ahead of team Ferrari. Kimi down on the list, at fourth ...).
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Kiwis Kissed By Kalypso Today
