Team UK were the big improvers on day two of racing in the America's Cup World Series regatta in Auckland, despite two losses to Team New Zealand.
Team New Zealand Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Just 24 hours after retiring from the the opening day of racing with mechanical issues, Team UK showed up on the Waitemata Harbour on Friday with a boat that was slower than the hosts but could finally complete the races.
The New Zealanders won both races by more than one minute and 30 seconds but it was not all plain sailing for Te Rehutai.
In the pre-start of the first race, Team UK skipper Sir Ben Ainslie was aggressive and attempted to pin a penalty on Team New Zealand seconds before the start. It did not work but it showed the struggling British team were ready to race.
Team New Zealand got out to a significant lead on Course C before their advantage nearly came undone when they came perilously close to hitting the 900kg fibreglass windward mark when communication broke down between helmsman Peter Burling and tactician Glenn Ashby.
They avoided disaster but the close-call will no doubt be part of the team's debrief on the day's racing.
In the second race Ainslie outwitted Burling in the pre-start and got away from the start line first, but the British boat's lack of pace, especially in lighter winds, meant the New Zealanders could overcome their early error and charge towards the finish.
In the opening race of day two, Italy's Luna Rossa received a penalty for entering the start box early against American Magic which they cleared with a couple of tacks.
However, American Magic's advantage was lost when they came close to a capsize during a tack when the windward foil was slow to be raised out of the water.
At the first windward gate the Italians had maintained a healthy lead but two gybes at the bottom of the downwind leg cost them distance and the Americans were now just 9 seconds behind.
From there, the race remained tight but Luna Rossa sailed a confident and clean race to take the win by 12 seconds.
In the second match-up between the Americans and Italians, American Magic claimed their third win of the regatta with a 30 second victory.
Team New Zealand and American Magic are now tied on three wins from four races heading into day three on Saturday.
Team UK had trouble on day one of the America's Cup World Series. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Before racing on Friday, Team New Zealand defended the reliability of the foiling cant system that is used by all of the America's Cup teams after Team UK blamed it for two sub-standard performances on Thursday.
Ainslie's Britannia were well off the pace in their first race against American Magic's "Patriot" and had to withdraw from their second against Luna Rossa with one of the cant arms seemingly unable to be moved.
Ainslie blamed the arm, which raises and lowers the foils, for their poor performances, but Team New Zealand said they were unaware of any issues with the component.
"The foil cant system (FCS) is a one-design supplied component designed and developed ...for all competitors," TNZ said in a statement before they were due to meet the British twice on the second day of competitive racing.
"All teams are responsible for the installation, ongoing maintenance and operating procedures of their own systems.
"All teams are provided with full operating and maintenance instructions and programs to ensure effective and reliable performance."
TNZ added the teams have weekly discussions about the one-design components used on the superfast AC75 foiling monohulls.
They had no influence over how the competitors set up their systems to maintain and run the cant arms, they added.
The other syndicates, however, have said the systems required to use the cant arms are complex and require constant adjustment.
This week's regatta is the only racing the teams do before the challenger series runs from 15 January to 22 February with the winners meeting TNZ for the America's Cup from 6 March.
- Reuters/RNZ