After the tense action on the race course, in which the wins were split between Team New Zealand and Oracle, media, event staff, team representatives and hangers-on all piled into the press conference room awaiting the on-land fireworks.
"This is going to be a humdinger," enthused one "audience member" as they made their way into the room.
The two helmsman did not disappoint.
Peter Burling was the first to fire a shot - though his "it's nice to see these guys showing some fight" comment was perhaps a bit more blunt than was intended.
Jimmy Spithill did not miss a beat however, responding "it's just the beginning, mate".
Comebacks were the theme of the day, with Spithill getting in a few references to Oracle's stunning comeback, or more to the point, Team NZ's capitulation, in San Francisco four years ago.
Like the 2013 regatta, Spithill made mention of the long hours Oracle have been spending on the water, and questioned why Team NZ decided to have a couple of days off.