History is on Team New Zealand's side heading into their America's Cup defence against Luna Rossa on the Waitemata Harbour.
Photo: ETNZ | Carlo Borlenghi
For nearly four years both teams have been building towards this showdown in a new class of boat.
The Italians have raced their boat 16 times in Auckland, but it's been nearly three months since Te Rehutai was last racing and after significant time in the boat shed Team New Zealand are ready to show off their AC75 - even if the fans will have to keep their distance.
Team New Zealand chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge has been around the America's Cup since the 1980s.
He's won, he's lost, and the veteran sailor who is leading the operation said this time the New Zealanders took a fresh approach to their campaign.
"We were clear, although we had a great team in Bermuda, we needed to step up to another level to be competitive this time which we think we've done in all areas and I think currently we're the strongest the team has ever been," Shoebridge said.
Team New Zealand chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge. Photo: RNZ / Todd Niall
However, for Team New Zealand to lift the cup for a fourth time several things would need to align.
"You need everything to go well. You need to sail well, you need a bit of luck you need all those things, it's certainly going to be no different this time.
"Whatever small differences there are in the boats won't be enough to let you get away with sailing poorly, so we're going to have to sail well, we're going to have to get the maximum out of our boat, make good decisions and hopefully that'll be enough to win races."
Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling knows what it takes to win.
He was at the wheel when the New Zealanders won the cup in 2017 in Bermuda, beating Team USA 7-1.
On the eve of the racing on home waters, Burling was circumspect about the best-of-13 series against the Italians.
"Always when you go into these things there's something you won't have prepared for but we've really tried to prepare for every scenario possible and we're really happy with the progression we've made as a team since the Christmas Cup," Burling said.
Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena said he didn't have a crystal ball to predict race results - but he wasn't paying too much attention to past results either.
Sirena has never beaten Team New Zealand.
He first came up against the syndicate the last time the America's Cup was in Auckland 21 years ago.
Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling and Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena. Photo: Photosport
Sirena was sailing on the boat back then, now he takes a role on the team's chase boat.
"I don't know if there's going to be a surprise but what I can tell you is I feel more confident this time than all the other times I race against them," Sirena said.
Not much is really known about Te Rehutai but Sirena thought it would mimic the New Zealand helmsman's strengths.
"The Kiwi boat really represents Pete, it is his way to sail, if you look at him sailing on the 49er he sail on the edge all of the time so they push the limit of what they think is the best."
While the teams took different approaches to design what they agreed on is is that the AC75 is the future of the America's Cup.
The design of the 75-foot foiling monohull was decided between the defender and the challenger of record and the experienced Sirena wanted more.
"I really hope whoever is going to win this cup is going to keep going with this class because I think it is the most exciting I ever sail and work on in my life," Sirena said.
Photo: Emirates Team New Zealand
The winner of the America's Cup decides what happens next, which is an extra incentive for success over the coming days.
Team New Zealand said the new class of boat had exceeded expectations and were confident they had made the right choice in opting for this class for this regatta.
Burling saw some similarities with the 49er, a class in which he is an Olympic champion.
"Incredible thing about these AC75s is they're a massive boat but just how actually dynamic they are to sail. The boat weighs over 5 tonnes and feels like it is a very little boat and is very quick with how it moves and I think it's pretty incredible to see a boat of that size being thrown around like all the teams are doing now and doing the speeds that they do now," Burling said.
Racing at Covid-19 alert level 2 means the America's Cup Village on Auckland's waterfront is closed.
The first race is scheduled to start at 4.15pm on the northern-most race course in winds of around 10 to 15 knots.