Team New Zealand sit first equal after day two at the America's Cup preliminary regatta in Spain. Photo: supplied
Team New Zealand has finished second to the New York Yacht Club's American Magic at the first Preliminary Regatta of the 37th America's Cup just outside Barcelona.
After two days of challenging conditions, the weather finally played ball.
A few more knots of breeze and the fleet of AC40's lit up the sparkling waters off Vilanova i La Geltrú.
The Race Committee managed to roll through three exciting fleet races where the kiwi team helmed by Olympic gold medal winning duo Peter Burling and Nathan Outteridge qualified for the winner take all match race final with NYYC American Magic who sailed fast and consistently all day.
With the weather having been the main protagonist of the weekend, it decided to make its mark one more time as the match race final pre start saw both boats off the foils and starting the race in displacement mode.
The time limit clicked over without the either the American or kiwi boat reaching the top mark.
NYYC American Magic won the regatta having topped the fleet race points standings by just one point.
Emirates Team New Zealand Helmsman Nathan Outteridge had mixed emotions, "I think today we definitely saw some really good racing.
"As soon as you get eight, nine knots of wind, the boats come alive and the racing is super tight and super close, so it's a big future for the class."
But Outteridge admitted it was frustrating.
"I thought we were sailing in general quite well and had two good starts to good races, but ultimately in the final fleet race we made an error in the gybe and fell off the foil and handed that win to American Magic.
"We did a good job to fight back into second place, but ultimately that was the one point they took to top the leader board which was the regatta after we couldn't get the match race in."
