Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Play-off Finals

Race 1: Emirates Team New Zealand bt Artemis Racing

Emirates Team New Zealand struck first blood, coming from behind to beat Artemis Racing and take early control of this best-of-nine series.

Artemis’s gamble to go with their light-air daggerboards in the fickle and shifty breeze seemed to be paying dividends as they won an uneventful pre-start and opened an eight-second advantage on the short reach to mark one.

The teams split tacks on the first beat, Artemis going left and Team New Zealand right.

The Kiwis were faster going upwind with their medium range set-up and took the lead with a perfect foiling tack right on the layline while Artemis held their line.

The Swedes’ woes were further compounded when they strayed out of bounds and were penalised two boat lengths for the infraction to virtually hand their rivals the race on a platter.

Artemis closed the gap on the last beat but to had take an extra tack to get to the layline, allowing Team New Zealand to stretch their advantage on the final run to leg six and short reach to the finish to seize the early momentum.

Emirates Team New Zealand lead Artemis Racing 1-0

Race 2: Artemis Racing beat Emirates Team New Zealand by 0:15

Artemis Racing made the perfect response in the second match, leading from start to finish in a highly tactical race to get off the mark and even the series at 1-1.

The Swedes held a slight lead across the line and luffed Team New Zealand on the short reach to mark one, which they rounded with a three-second advantage over their rivals.

The Kiwis made up considerable ground on the second downwind run.

With the match on the line, the teams engaged in an intense tacking duel on the last beat, Artemis doing well to cover the chasing boat as they matched them tack for tack.

The Kiwis split as they rounded the top mark for the final time with a last roll of the dice.

But Artemis were able to increase their lead by another six seconds and hold on for the important victory to get back themselves into the series.

“We are very happy with that one,” Nathan Outteridge, the Artemis skipper, said. “Very good start and then just didn’t give them an opportunity.”

Emirates Team New Zealand and Artemis Racing are level at 1-1

Race 3: Emirates Team New Zealand bt Artemis racing by retirement

Team New Zealand regained the lead of the series with a comfortable victory in the day’s third and final match, in which Artemis skipper Nathan Outteridge fell overboard at a crucial stage of the race.

The teams were neck-and-neck in a tacking duel up the final beat when Outteridge slipped during a poorly executed foiling tack and fell overboard, allowing the Kiwis to surge ahead.

A man short, Artemis virtually abandoned the race as the Kiwis sailed on to victory to go up 2-1 in the series.

The Kiwis held a slight advantage in another clean start, but Artemis were faster and rounded the crucial first mark with a two-second lead.

The teams split at the leeward gate; Artemis going right and Kiwis left.

When they crossed going upwind, Artemis were still in front.

Team New Zealand narrowed the gap on the final run after Artemis came down off their foils with a poor gybe.

The Swedes quickly recovered, though, but were eventually reeled in and then overtaken, as Outteridge went for an unscheduled swim in the Great Sound to signal “game over” for the blue boat.

Emirates Team New Zealand lead Artemis Racing 2-1