The day Team New Zealand pulled ahead

Emirates Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling waves to the crowds lining Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour after his team’s boat, Te Rehutai, powered to two wins in the America’s Cup yesterday.

If Team New Zealand goes on to win the Cup, this will be recognised as the day everything changed.

It was impossibly tense, but it all turned on a bizarre race eight when the breeze died, causing both teams to fall off their foils for long periods.

The end result was that Team New Zealand won the second race by more than 2500m, to take a 5-3 lead in the series, but that does not do the drama justice.

Luna Rossa will not die wondering, but the buffer of a two-point lead ratchets up the pressure as it has to win the next race, otherwise it will face match point.

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