America's Cup: Burling takes bragging rights in practice race

Olympic sailors Peter Burling (left) and Blair Tuke (right) with team boss Grant Dalton (centre). Photo / Brett Phibbs.

Peter Burling and Ben Ainslie took bragging rights in this morning's practice races for the first America's Cup World Series regatta - but neither will be shouting too loud.

On a chaotic, foul weather day on the Solent, off Portsmouth, the six teams at the regatta went through their paces. Emirates Team New Zealand finished a distant third by Ben Ainslie racing and Oracle in race one, before surging from last to first in the day's final race.

All of Team NZ's gains were made on the first upwind beat when they picked two windshifts to surge through and past a stunned fleet.

"We probably didn't sail very well today to be honest," helmsman Peter Burling said. "It's not often you get the opportunity to come through the field like that so we'll take it, but if we're last tomorrow or on Sunday [Monday morning NZT], I don't think we'll get that chance.

Burling said the team used the day to work through their systems, and so to the race organisers. The penalty system lights experienced technical glitches throughout the day.

Team NZ received a penalty for crossing the boundary line in race one, while in race two, some crews lights were flashing for out of bounds even when they were in the middle of the course.

Tonight's action sees two fleet races, the same as the following day, except then the points will be doubles.

In shifty conditions like the boats faced this morning, it is difficult to draw too many conclusions, but it appears that BAR, on their home waters, will be among the frontrunners.

Dean Barker's Japanese syndicate struggled mightily, finishing a distant sixth in race one before finishing fifth in race two, ahead of French entry Groupama.