Emirates Team New Zealand won its third semi-final match against BMW Oracle and then took Alinghi in the first match of their final.

The final is the best of three. Two matches are scheduled for tomorrow.

Racing today was tight, tense and tough on the crews. The winning deltas: against USA 76 11sec, against Sui 75 in the final 17sec.

The breeze was around 14 knots from the south-east.

Grant Dalton: “It was a good day for us. Dean Barker and the afterguard got it absolutely right and the rest of the crew responded. It was a day to keep it tight and sail conservatively.

“We were up against two top teams. Today it was our day on the water. Tomorrow is another day with two races to sail to decide who wins the regatta.”

On-course commentators said Emirates Team New Zealand deserved its wins, being the better team on the day.

Third semi-final match

Emirates Team New Zealand beat BMW Oracle Racing in the “division 1” semi-final to go through to the final.

It was one of the great battles of the modern era of the America’s Cup. NZL 84 won the start and was first across the line by 5sec, led around the top mark by 11sec, had a 5 sec advantage at the second mark, and 1sec at the third. At the finish, NZL 84’s delta was 11sec.

But the figures do not tell the story of two well-matched yachts, two skilled and well-drilled crews and the determination on both teams to win.

For Emirates Team New Zealand it was a battle of tactics, self-belief, nerves of steel and precision boat handling. The race went down to the wire with neither team ever able to feel comfortable as first one and then the other held the lead.

NZL 84 controlled the first beat as USA 87 threw tack after tack at them, NZL 84 answered by tacking on top of USA 87, forcing the Americans to the right side of the course. It was hard work on board, NZL 84 tacking 17 times and rounding just ahead.

The second windward leg was another epic battle, with the yachts swapping 14 tacks. But this time there was some separation halfway up the course, with NZL 84 on the right and USA 87 on the left.

The Americans got a small lift and chewed into NZL 84’s lead but as they closed on the mark, NZL 84 had the starboard advantage and was able to claim room and the yachts rounded the mark side-by-side.

With NZL 84 in control, the yachts sailed more than 500m into the spectator fleet before breaking away, hoisting spinnakers and heading for the finish.

NZL 84 held out USA 87 and then choosing their moment gybed and then rolled over USA 87. It was a crucial move – and one that decided the outcome, NZL 84 winning by 11sec.

Grant Dalton: “Whatever happens tomorrow we will take a lot out of this regatta. We have beaten every team, which is a good measure of how far we have progressed in two years.

“We can now confidently set course for the next few months when we complete our testing and training in Valencia for 2006 then return to Auckland to launch the second new boat.”

First final match

Both teams started on starboard tack, with NZL 84 to windward. NZL 84 took an early advantage in the right and as they swapped 17 tacks kept bouncing SUI 75 out to the left.

NZL retained control on the beat but rounded only 9sec ahead. At the first leeward mark the margin was 8sec, the same after the second windward leg.

On the final run, NZL 84, looked more comfortable, extended their hard-won lead and finished 17sec ahead.

Share or bookmark this story: