Emirates Team New Zealand 5:3 in America's Cup

We have been expecting the weekend hoping there would be a determining factor that would change the direction this tight 36th America’s Cup Match was taking. And it has finally arrived on Monday! After four days of deadlock, Emirates Team New Zealand took a 2 win lead over Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. Now, the kiwi team has a 5-3 lead.  

Saturday: Day 3 of tied competition in the 36th America’s Cup

The third day did not present any changes and once again, the America’s Cup finished the day with a 3-3 tie. In order for one of the teams to raise with the cup, one of the teams has to win 7 races.

Saturday has been a copy of the race that took place on Friday and on Wednesday: the start of the race has been crucial and played a significant part of the result. These flying lightweight AC75 have an average speed of 30 knots reached in less than 10 knots of wind and don’t stop delivering exciting races that make it really hard to establish who will become the next champion of the 36th America’s Cup Match edition.

Recommended: Curious how the races from Friday or Wednesday went? Find out HERE how Wednesday’s race went and HERE how Friday’s day in this tough America’s Cup went for both the defending Emirates Team New Zealand and their contenders Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.

Sunday: No wind of change.

The Race Committee had to call off the racing due to the lack of wind. As there is no wind for teams to race against each other in the water, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli are still tied in one of the best sailing competitions of the world.

The America’s Cup Race Village offered an incredible sight as over 48.000 people cheered both teams and more than 1300 boats gathered around Race Course A. They had to leave the area with no race on Sunday, but will be waiting for Monday to cheer the sailing teams up.

Monday: The tables have turned in favour of the kiwi team

Finally Day 5 of the America’s Cup was filled with excitement as Emirates Team New Zealand broke the deadlock and put 2 points on the scoreboard. Unsteady winds played a big role this day, and the difference meant winning or losing the race. As the scoreboard is now 5:3, tomorrow will be a key day in this 36th America’s Cup.

Race 8 has been the highlight of the day. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli used a larger jib than Emirates Team New Zealand hoping it would give them the advantage with the lighter breeze that dropped to 9 knots. Keeping the pace and avoiding errors was key and the Italian jib looked like it couldn’t be trimmed properly. They still managed to solve this on time and cross gate two with almost 2 km ahead Emirates Team New Zealand.

Gate 3 meant problems for the Italians. The breeze dropped even more and the Italians failed to get back onto their foils. News came that the race would be shortened to 5 legs as Emirates Team New Zealand was regaining the lost distance.

Penalty after penalty, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailed through the boundary trying to get back onto the foils, but it seemed as if their efforts were in vain. Emirates Team New Zealand continued to sail at speed each gybe. By the time the Italians got back onto their foils, the kiwi team was already over 2,000 m ahead with only a leg to go. From that point on, it was a breeze for the defending team as they crossed the finish line of the second race of the day and raised their second win in this competition, changing the score to 5:3.

We are looking forward to the race tomorrow to determine whether the defending Emirates Team New Zealand will keep the America’s Cup or if the challenger Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team will be able to score 2 decisive points in the competition.