Key events
Britain win the fifth race, and it’s 1-4
Sixth leg, and plainsailing for Ineos Britannia. They’ve taken their chance at last. The Kiwi fans are seen roaring on their sailors but to little avail. Ineos staying high over those choppy waves, staying 1.3km ahead of their chasers. They’ve been all but flawless. The comeback: it’s on!
Fifth leg and the gap is over a kilometre. The gap is so big that the TV commentator has taken to flattering his female counterparts in the commentary box. Silence from them. The Kiwis support boat at a loss to explain that bad start. The start seems so important for these races. The gap is still over kilometre as they approach the top gate for the final time, and turn for home and a first win. Leg five: done.
Fourth leg now, and Ineos Britannia does seem to be enjoying the conditions and running smoothly. Some real hard work has gone in since Monday. The gap is back to 1.5km, and New Zealand are hoping for Team GB to scuttle if they want a way back. The race judges extend the course, and that plays into the sails of the Ineos team. Leg four is done, and just two to go.
Into the third leg, the Brits’ big sails keeping them ahead though the gap is dwindling to 1200m, though the New Zealanders complete the second leg a full kilometre down. The gap starts rising back up. New Zealand paying desperately for that earlier error. Ineos Britannia are halfway to their first win, that’s leg three done.
Into leg two, and the gap is 1600m ahead. The Brits trying to keep it simple and stay on the foils. The two lads in the cycling department pedalling like demons. The gap still growing, though New Zealand are travelling at the same 35km/h speed as the Brits. Leg two is completed with that lead.
And away we go in race five – disaster for New Zealand
Ahead of the start, Team GB have more pace, the New Zealanders get caught in the waves. This is their chance. The Kiwis are going to be late for the start. The wind is just over six knots. Britannia whips past the Kiwi boat as the start is sounded, and the New Zealand boat takes a while to get moving. They can’t catch the wind. Their speed is 8km, to the Brits’ 32km. Sir Ben nailed it as the Kiwis fell off their foils. The waves are causing all sorts of problems to the leaders. All the Brits need to do is stay on their foils. The gap is almost 700m, and the New Zealanders drop to a kilometre behind. They lead after the Leg 1 by a street.
The word is that the conditions are wavy, and that may play into the hand of Ineos Britannia. The wind is due to pick up to 10 knots a bit later. We’re racing in three minutes, the wind test having been passed.
Race day is on, the wind high enough for two races. Sunday, remember, got curtailed by a drop in wind.
More Weather Report here.
Weather report here:
Here’s today’s schedule:
Here’s Monday’s report from Stephen Burgen.
Key quote from Sir Ben: “Clearly, they’re going well. I think we have our moments but there are moments when we are losing a click and that’s really the difference. It’s a good opportunity to take a day on shore and try to figure out how we can find some gains.”
Preamble
To say it’s not gone well for Sir Ben Ainslie’s team isn’t quite right, it’s maybe just that they have come up against a superior team in the New Zealanders. Sir Ben’s temper seethed on Sunday, and then his team were well beaten in the next race, in much the same style as before.
So, this is where the revival needs to start, if it is to ever start.
First race just after 1pm UK time. Join us.
