Today’s weather forecast lead many to believe racing would be slow and boring however the second day of the America’s Cup action has been anything but.
Despite low winds all day, racing finally got underway with Luna Rossa capitalising on their port side entry advantage early.
The Italian vessel posted an impressive 37-second lead in race three however their efforts were overshadowed in race four.
Team New Zealand held the early advantage but a potential issue with Luna Rossa’s foil arm saw the Kiwi’s lead intensify.
Te Rehutai would go on to level the scores with a massive 1:03 minute win.
The action resumes on tomorrow with race five scheduled to start at roughly 4:00pm. You can watch all the action live on TVNZ1 and OnDemand .
Catchup on all the action from the second day of Team New Zealand's America's Cup defence below.
5.49pm: What a comeback! Te Rehutai cruise home well ahead of Luna Rossa. Team New Zealand level the scores at 2-2 with a massive 1:03 minute lead.
5.45pm: Team NZ cruise around the final mark at 41 knots, 58 seconds ahead of Luna Rossa. Now 700 metres separating the two boats.
5.39pm: Luna Rossa are looking sluggish at the moment. Looks like they may have an issue with their foil arm. Team New Zealand are speeding away. It's now 48 seconds between the two AC75s at gate four.
5.35pm: Still 34 seconds between the two boats at the third gate. Te Rehutai finding a lot of pace on the fourth leg.
5.33pm: Luna Rossa really paying for that mistake. Team New Zealand extend their lead to 350 metres as the race nears the midway point.
5.29pm: Team NZ extend their lead up the second leg. Luna Rossa have a brief touch down after a bad gybe and Te Rehutai posts a 34 second lead ahead of Luna Rossa.
5.25pm: Team New Zealand exit the first gate with a nine second lead. They opt for the right hand mark while the Italians opt to go left.
5:23pm: Halfway up the first leg and things are close but Team New Zealand are holding on to a slim lead.
It was another tight start in the America's Cup series. (Source: Other)
5.20pm: The two AC75s enter the start box. Team New Zealand look to capitalise on the favoured port entry but Te Rehutai briefly touches down losing alot of speed. They try to cramp Luna Rossa upon the approach to the start line but Luna Rossa have the pace.
5.15pm : Both boats are towed back into the course. Just minutes away from the start of race four.
5.00pm: Despite the heavy loss Team NZ skipper Peter Burling says he "doesnt think there's too much in it". An unfortunate start to the day but the Kiwis will have the port entry in race four.
The Italians now lead Team New Zealand 2-1. (Source: Other)
4.50pm: Luna Rossa cruise home with a 37-second lead. Huge win for the Italians.
4.49pm: Team New Zealand now 400 metres behind Luna Rossa halfway up the final leg.
4.47pm: Luna Rossa post a huge lead at gate five. 38 seconds and growing. It looks like the Italians have this race.
4.40pm: Te Rehutai 22 seconds behind at the fourth gate. Team New Zealand opt to go up the left side of the course, splitting from Luna Rossa.
4.37pm : That was a huge leg for Luna Rossa. 27-seconds ahead of the Kiwis upon exiting the third gate. Luna Rossa's lead just keeps growing.
4.35pm: The Italians are flying up the third leg. Te Rehutai is now cruising 250 metres behind Luna Rossa.
4.32pm: Team New Zealand make considerable gains just before entering the second gate but Luna Rossa post a 13-second lead at gate two.
4.30pm: Luna Rossa are tearing up the second leg with a growing lead as both boats traverse the course on opposite sides of eachother.
4.28pm: We've got a lead change. Luna Rossa hit the first gate 10 seconds ahead of Team New Zealand.
4.25pm: Team New Zealand holding a slim lead halfway up the first leg. Luna Rossa is closing the gap though.
Luna Rossa came out of the start box with the smallest of leads. (Source: Other)
4.23pm: Right on time. Team New Zeland have the starboard entry and Team New Zealand get a good start.
4.20pm: Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand enter the start box after the inital delay. The winds have picked up and both boats are up on foils.
4.15pm: Just as things looked set to kickoff, a spectator boat crosses the course boundary. Race officials postpone the race. 4.23pm is now the new race start time.
4.10pm: Today's action is set to take place on Course E. Plenty of spectator boats out on the water today. Conditions are clear and the wind is currently sitting around 10 knots.
4.05pm: Just 10-minutes away from the scheduled start of race three. Both boats are out on the water and the wind seems to have picked up. Looks like we could see some racing after all!
3.42pm
There are doubts about the readiness of Luna Rossa's AC75 on the water today.
"It sounds like they're not doing a lot sailing right now, Team New Zealand has been up sailing around from what I understand," TVNZ commentator Dean Barker says.
"Normally the boats would out there in this warm up period right now so you'd expect that if everything was going well, that both boats would be sailing at this time," he added.
Barker said Luna Rossa has a "genuine issue, who knows what?"
Meanwhile, for Team NZ, from all accounts it’s smooth sailing at the moment on the water ahead of racing.
Pre-race
With scores sitting at one win apiece after the first day of racing, both Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand will be eager to take to water to gain an early lead in the points standings, however a lack of wind may put a dampener on today's action .
Earlier today, America's Cup race director Iain Murray said there was a "very, very high percentage there would be no racing today" with the forecast wind threatening to force yet another postponement in the already delayed tournament.
For racing to commence, wind speed must sit at above average of 6.5 knots, however the winds today are expected to range between 2-7 knots.
Should the race committee give teams go-ahead, Team New Zealand will have the starboard entry for the first race of the day.
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