Kiwis line up with Artemis

Impromptu engagement on San Francisco Bay

Emirates Team New Zealand went up against Artemis Racing today in some impromptu race practice on San Francisco Bay.

The teams had never before lined up together in their AC72s. Practice race starts had been arranged with Luna Rossa, but the Italians returned to the dock before they could take place. Artemis Racing was practising time-on-distance nearby and a shouted conversation across the water quickly arranged another training partner.

Barker was more than happy with the arrangement. "Artemis was keen to get into it. It’s always good to practice with another team. We learned a lot today from a different opponent. Artemis was aggressive in the pre-start and the five starts added another dimension to the team's development."

Artemis faces off against Luna Rossa in the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series. Their first race is on Tuesday.