Sailing: Team NZ in third at America's Cup World Series finale

Emirates Team New Zealand. Photo / Getty

Team New Zealand sit in third place after the first day of racing at the America's Cup World Series in Japan on Saturday.

Skippered by Glenn Ashby, Team New Zealand finished second in Race One, fifth in Race Two and third in the final race of the day to accumulate 23 points.

They failed to make ground on the two teams ahead of them in the series standings however, with leaders Land Rover BAR and Oracle Team USA once again in charge in what is the final regatta of the ACWS.

The event determines the final overall rankings for the World Series, with the winner of the overall series earning two bonus points to carry into the qualifiers in June, while the second-place team will earn one bonus point.

Land Rover BAR won the first of the three races and has 27 points, one ahead of Oracle Team USA which won the third and final race.

With Sir Ben Ainslie at the helm, Land Rover BAR hold a 15-point lead over Oracle Team USA in the series standings heading into Sunday's finale. Team New Zealand are a further six points back after failing to make the podium in the last three events.

However, point scoring is doubled tomorrow, meaning a successful final day could prove pivotal for Team New Zealand.