Emirates Team NZ become first ever team to retain the Audi MedCup title

[Source: AUDI Medcup] Just as they did last year Emirates Team New Zealand clinched their second successive Audi MedCup Circuit win with two racing days of the 2010 season to spare.

After Thursday’s coastal race the supreme Kiwis under skipper-helm Dean Barker had built themselves an unbeatable lead and in the end, after today’s one final blustery race in a Mistral of more than 28 knots off Cagliari, Sardinia the champions rounded out their second victorious season to finish 48.5 points ahead of Quantum Racing (USA) who finish runners-up, as they also did last season..

Alberto Roemmers’ Matador (ARG), the current world champions skippered by Guillermo Parada (ARG), comprehensively won the Region of Sardinia Trophy, the fifth and final regatta of the Audi MedCup Circuit season, finishing 12.5 points ahead of Jochen Schuemann’s Franco-German crew on Audi A1 powered by All4ONE.

The Kiwi 2010 champions, become the first team ever in the six year history of the circuit to win back-to-back MedCup Circuit champion titles. They won the top regatta trophy in Cascais, were fourth in Marseille, second in Barcelona, triumphed in Murcia and finished third on countback here in Cagliari.

The world's best monohull sailing team surfing the waves to overall championship victory. Cagliari, 25 September 2010. Photo copyright Stefano Gattini / AUDI Medcup

Emirates Team New Zealand set themselves on course for overall victory from the outset of the season in breezy Cascais, Portugal in May where they established an initial lead of 20 points, winning three races as well as the key coastal race there.

When last season they streaked to win four in a row of 2009’s five regattas, unmatched consistency has underpinned their victory again this season.

They won ten of this 2010 season’s 44 52 Series races. Last year they won 14 races from 43 starts. Skipper Dean Barker, Emirates Team New Zealand’s skipper -helm highlighted today how much harder this season has been for them to prevail overall.

Terry Hutchinson (USA) and the Quantum Racing (USA) crew finish second overall for the season, just five points ahead of Matador.

When they seized the lead on the second beat of today’s race the world champions seemed to have pulled themselves up to within touching distance of second place on the Circuit.

After winning the 2010 AUDI Medcup, Emirates Team NZ are staring at the unknown. Cagliari, 25 September 2010. Photo copyright Ian Roman / AUDI Medcup

With incumbents Quantum Racing five boats behind it might then have gone down to a match race for second, but as they hoisted their kite for the final run it exploded and they were left sitting for minutes while four boats passed them.

They only just managed to get a new spinnaker filling to stay ahead of their green and black hulled adversaries. With a win in the final race of the season Audi A1 powered by ALL4ONE finish second at this season’s finale, just as they also did in Portugal in May.

2010 Audi MedCup Circuit - Final results
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 31,5+31+35+35.5+38= 171 points
2. Quantum Racing (USA), 59.5+22,5+44+53.5+40= 219.5
3. Matador (ARG), 60+27+67+45+25.5= 224.5
4. TeamOrigin (GBR), 59.5+31+63+46.5+41,5= 241.5
5. Artemis (SWE), 57+53+33+64+49.5= 256.5
6. Synergy (RUS), 64+35.5+73+68.5+38.5= 279.5
7. Audi A1 powered by ALL4ONE (FRA/GER), 51.5+29,5+84+78+38= 281
8. Bribón (ESP), 88+41+58+70+45.3= 296,5
9. Cristabella (GBR), 65+43.5+62+85,5+62= 318
10. Luna Rossa (ITA), 77,5+44.5+73+69+74.5= 338.5
11. Bigamist 7 (POR), 88+78+70+78.5+102= 416.5