Women’s America’s Cup: Pressure goes on as Team NZ at risk of missing semifinals

The pressure has shifted on to Team New Zealand in the women’s America’s Cup.

Heading into their second day of pool racing, the six teams in pool A were expected to compete in four fleet races to determine the three teams moving into the semifinals.

But a frustrating wait for wind saw just one race completed for the day, the finish of which was a bad scenario for the Kiwis.

Team NZ headed into the day third in the fleet with a three-point buffer on fourth-placed Alinghi Red Bull Racing. However, the Swiss won the lone race of the day as the Kiwis were fifth.

That saw the Swiss leapfrog Team NZ, putting a five-point gap between them with three pool races remaining. Those final races were postponed until tomorrow, where race management will be hoping to complete a bumper day of racing with the semifinals - featuring the top three teams from the two pools - also scheduled for tomorrow.

“Overall, it was a little bit gutting really,” Team NZ helm Jo Aleh said of the race.

“We made a few mistakes that as soon as we were there we were kicking ourselves saying we all knew it. But looking back there were a lot of good points.

“The fact we were leading that last lap, and by quite a lot, and we felt pretty good in the boat - when we looked around everyone was struggling as well - so [we’ll take] a lot of confidence out of that.

“We feel good, it’s just every day we do is the first time we’ve done it at the moment. It’s the first time in waves like that and that sort of breeze so, yeah, stronger tomorrow.”

It seemed the weather had everyone a bit baffled in Barcelona, with light winds but a bumpy sea state. The boats were sent out to start on schedule, before being asked to go back to the dock and told racing would start three hours later.

That didn’t happen though; instead, the teams were asked to stay out on the water, with a delay of only an hour before racing began.

Team NZ were slow off the line but got out to an early lead as they found the breeze and were able to sail to the front.

The Kiwis led the fleet up the first leg, but lost ground after running into a wave and coming off their foils. They recovered, but Athena Pathway and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli closed the gap considerably.

Team NZ held their lead until late in the second leg when they came off their foils. If the pressure wasn’t already on for them to get up and foiling, it was as the Swiss overcame a bad start to fly through the fleet and challenge for the top three spots.

By the second gate, the Swiss were in the lead and with race management shortening the contest to three legs they were in the box seat.

Alinghi needed a big result and found it, sailing to a clear win.

It became a matter of trying to scrap for positions for the Kiwis, but a boundary penalty - followed by a second one for not completing the first within a minute - prevented them from climbing through the fleet when they did get back on their foils.

Ultimately, they got points for fifth place; as one of three teams failing to finish within five minutes of the Swiss and therefore timing out. Team NZ fell five points behind the Swiss - outside of the cut zone.

Racing was further delayed, with race management ultimately abandoning the day about three hours later.

Pool A standings after five races

Athena Pathway (UK) - 36

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (Italy) - 36

Alinghi Red Bull Racing (Switzerland) - 25

Emirates Team New Zealand - 20

Orient Express L’Oreal Racing Team (France) - 12

American Magic (USA) - 11

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.