America's Cup: Team NZ take control with wins over Japan, BAR

Emirates Team NZ race Land Rover BAR off Bermuda. Photo/America's Cup

A near-perfect second day of racing has put Team NZ in the driver's seat at the America's Cup qualifier series off Bermuda.

After defeating Team Japan in their opening outing of the day, the Kiwis easily accounted for Ben Ainslie Racing (GBR) and have now won three of their four races.

Their only lapse so far has come against cupholders Oracle Team USA, who suffered their first loss to Sweden today. USA are now 4-1, but have sailed an extra race and carry an extra point from their second placing in the America's Cup World Series.

VIDEO: Race Day 2 Wrap: Two races- two wins on a very tricky @americascup race course for #ETNZ pic.twitter.com/dcRHcDIXd2

— EmiratesTeamNZ (@EmiratesTeamNZ) May 28, 2017

New Zealand and BAR already had history before this meeting - BAR damaged their opponents' boat with a "love tap" at the start in practice two weeks ago - and this latest encounter also featured its share of controversy even before they began racing.

Emirates Team NZ skipper Peter Burling put his AC50 into the start box early and incurred a two boat-length penalty, but the Kiwis hurtled down the second leg of the course and slid around the mark ahead of the British.

There was no sign of the damage suffered by BAR yesterday and fears that they had re-damaged the hull against Team USA early on day two provide unfounded.

Team NZ took big momentum into the third leg, a clumsy tack saw them concede ground briefly, but they were still nine seconds up rounding the fourth mark and were unpressed from that point, finishing

Earlier, Burling gained an important edge over predecessor Dean Barker, with victory over Team Japan in their first meeting of the qualifier series.

Barker was at the helm, when New Zealand capitulated to Oracle at the 2013 America's Cup off San Francisco and now finds himself in allegiance with the Americans in this latest regatta.

Olympic 49er champion Burling has replaced Barker on board the new AC50 and the pressure was on him to show the new guard could be more successful - only skipper Glenn Ashby has survived from the campaign four years ago.

Burling controlled the start and led across the line, but Barker carried more momentum and quickly overhauled his rival to lead at the first mark.

Team New Zealand found the best of the wind down the third leg to round the mark on even terms, but the boats split and Japan managed to protect their edge.

The Kiwis made their decisive move down the fifth leg, as both teams engaged in a classic match-racing exchange, tacking and re-tacking in search of an advantage. Burling turned a 13-second deficit into a 17-second buffer and covered his rival to the finish.

Day 2 schedule:
R7: Groupama Team France beat Artemis by 3 secs
R8: Oracle Team USA beat Ben Ainslie Racing by 39 secs
R9: Emirates Team NZ beat Team Japan by 33 secs
R10: Artemis Racing beat Oracle Team USA by 39 secs
R11: Emirates Team NZ beat Ben Ainslie Racing by one min 28 secs
R12: Oracle Team USA beat Team Japan by 54 secs

Standings
Oracle Team USA 5 points
Emirates Team NZ 3
Land Rover BAR 3
Artemis Racing (Sweden) 2
Softbank Team Japan 1
Groupama Team France 1