KEY POINTS:
Team New Zealand are looking to complete an unbeaten run through the first round robin of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series when they take on French syndicate K-Challenge today.
A win for Emirates Team New Zealand will ensure the Kiwi syndicate will go through to the second stage of the round robin as the top qualifier from pool A.
The top three teams from each pool will form the gold fleet in round robin two, with the remaining four making up the silver fleet.
With Team New Zealand already guaranteed a place in the final of the Louis Vuitton series, they will dip out of the regatta after the second round robin, while the remaining teams battle it out for the other final spot.
Although their place in the final is secure, the Kiwis haven't mucked around in the early stages of the two-week regatta.
Team New Zealand showed they meant business yesterday, clinically dispatching China Team to notch up their third win of the regatta. The Kiwis have led from start to finish in all of their races.
A lack of breeze on the Waitemata forced a lengthy delay to the start of racing on day four.
It meant a long day out on the water for the crews, particularly Luna Rossa and Team Shosholoza, who each had two races yesterday after their match the previous day was abandoned.
A botched start by China Team handed the Kiwis a healthy lead from the outset and from there the race was very much plain sailing for Dean Barker and his crew.
The Chinese were a fraction too early across the startline and were recalled, and in the meantime Team New Zealand raced out to a lead of around eight boat-lengths. Team NZ maintained loose cover on China Team and continued to make gains on every leg, eventually winning by 59s.
Like Team New Zealand, Luna Rossa, Team Origin and BMWOracle had relatively straightforward wins over Greek Challenge, Shosholoza and K-Challenge respectively.
Despite the late start to the racing, organisers managed to squeeze in a fifth race with Luna Rossa and Shosholoza taking to the water at 6.30pm after their race on Sunday was abandoned.
The delay proved to be worth the wait, with the pair involved in the most enthralling tactical battle of the series so far.
It featured several changes in lead, but Luna Rossa secured the win after Shosholoza incurred a penalty in a tight mark rounding following the second upwind leg.
Today's races
Pool A:
Damiani Italia Challenge v BMWOracle Racing, K-Challenge v Team New Zealand, Bye: China Team.
Pool B:
Alinghi v Shosholoza; Team Origin v Greek Challenge; Bye: Luna Rossa
Standings:
Pool A
Team New Zealand 3, Damiani Italia 2, BMWOracle Racing1; K-Challenge 1; China Team 0.
Pool B
Team Origin 3, Alinghi 2, Luna Rossa 2, Team Shosholoza 0, Greek Challenge 0*.
*Deducted one point for causing damage to boats
