If today's America's Cup racing could be described in rugby terms, it would have been described as a game of two halves.
Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa each produced convincing victories, as the match moves into its third day tomorrow evenly poised at two-all.
Luna Rossa struck first blood, racing flawlessly to a comfortable 37-second win in race three and lumping pressure on to the defending champions.
But Team New Zealand responded with a thumping victory of their own, dashing out of sight to earn a statement 63-second win and take the momentum into the weekend.
A smiling Team New Zealand tactician Blair Tuke described the victory as "a really good bounce back".
"That was a really good reply from us in the second race," Tuke told TVNZ.
"I think we just got off the start line better than the race before. We managed to get the jump on them before the boundary, the boat was going really well, and we were able to extend nicely.
"I think our boat was going really well even in the first race but they just kept lamping right on us and didn’t give us much fresh air.
"In the second race we obviously got in front and the boat was going good again, and it’s a lot easier without the wind shadows and being free to look up the course and pick the shifts on your terms a little bit more."
The win tied the best-of-13 match at two-apiece, and Tuke said he expected it to continue to be a closely fought battle.
"It’s a tight battle, that’s the way it was going to be. They’re a formidable opponent at the top of their game and if we don’t get it right like what happened in the first one then that’s the result.
"That second race was a good boost for us, we sailed well and the boat’s going nicely."
Luna Rossa suffered a mistake in race four, costing them significant speed and causing them to fall well off the pace.
Despite the costly error, helmsman Jimmy Spithill was still upbeat about his team's performance throughout the afternoon.
"It was great racing from both teams, full credit to the Kiwis, they did a great job in that race," Spithill said.
"We went for the split right and we just couldn’t get out of the right hand side. Those guys did a good job."
Both races were decided by which team took an early advantage, with neither boat giving an inch once ahead.
"All in all it showed it was pretty strong for the lead boat in today’s conditions," Spithill said.
"It’s the first time in a long time we’ve had these two boats together in the lighter range and again both boats proved they could win races."
Racing continues with two more races tomorrow, and a further two on Sunday.
Coverage begins on TVNZ1 and OnDemand at 3pm.
SHARE ME