Play-Offs - Day Two Sailing: America's Cup

MUSIC America's Cup, sports oldest international trophy. 16 kim to

Bermuda, only one will arrive with. Leave with the prize. Now we are at

the challenger final stage. The holders are waiting for the winners

of the clash. Day one, so three races hotly contested out here on

the great sound. But it all ended in dramatic style.

Swedish helm slid out of the boat, splashing down into the water, efek

lively handing New Zealand the third race of the day.

Earlier the teams had shared a race each. The Kiwis claimed race one.

The Swedes, including Ian Percy, producing a fine display of

head-to-head match in race two. New Zealand have the edge, as we head

into three more races on Bermuda's Great Sound.

It's not the normal weather we are used to here. As you can see, it is

raining it is also very hard to predict what's going to happen

today. All the teams have the world's best meteorologist working

with them. They have to make a decision by 9am about which foils

they will use. Only time will tell in the racing who's got that right.

Welcome to the unpredictable Great Sound, for this the second day of

the challenger finals, the L-shaped racecourse has a two minute silence

followed by the high speed reach to mark one. A 15 knots South westerly

breeze and then off to the American Cup's village. So Louis Vuitton

challenger play-off finals under way. First of five race wins becomes

the challenger. Conceivably the Swedes could be eliminated by the

end of the day. Three wins for the Kiwis and they would confirm their

place in the match. OK, these guys, at this stage, 45

seconds ago don't really look like they want a piece of each other.

But here we go... Are we going to try and go for the big hook if you

are Nathan Aterridge. He's screaming at these guys to go around New

Zealand. He's pushing and pushing. Can he get underneath? There they

go. They will gap off for a high-speed start. Only 19 seconds to

go. I am not sure they are not late. So difficult getting this timing

right, isn't it? We have seen it time after time. The complications

in slowing up a little bit. Because they are heading at 35 knots or so

that is a real issue here. Away they go. There's nothing in it at the

start. They were just slightly early on Artemis Racing. Come from that

higher speed favoured end. Remember Artemis is probably started one boat

length further away from Mark 1 than emirate's Team New Zealand. Can they

use that mark and get over the top? It looks like they'd do it again.

Certainly looks as if their speed is too much for the Kiwis in that

opening reach. We know the Swedes are quick.

That isn't the issue here. The issue the issue is boat-handling

and whether they can maintain the consistency with a familiar pattern

for the fourth race running between these two, Artemis Racing have got

the best start and the Kiwis have to play catch up. Set themselves up for

a split at the second break. What about the foils used today.

Conditions are tricky because the wind speed is varying a huge amount.

These look certainly and we are trying to get confirmation right

now, but certainly much shorter foils on Artemis than there is on

emirate's team New Zealand. You have to imagine that inherently the

breeze is just winder than it was meant to be right now. You have to

believe that has to be a favouring Artemis at this stage, just from a

pure boat speed standpoint. The Swedes hammering it and keeping it

very tight to the gate. Trying very hard not to lose too

much boat speed. The New Zealanders are there or tlobts but not the

cleanest of -- or thereabouts but not the cleanest of roundings. Look

at this though, from New Zealand - not the stability we are used to

from them. But a good enough recovery. Good recovery. That is

right. Minimising what could be a disastrous mistake.

Keeping it close. This is the Emirates Team New Zealand we are

familiar with. Keeping it close and keep the pressure on the boat ahead.

They've been in this scenario countless times in the last two

weeks. It just does not phase them. Doesn't phase them. They literally

don't say anything on board. It's just, it's really, it's an

incredible form of noncommunication. I I guess anybody could do that,

couldn't they? Hard at work. This, the only team that have their

grinding system operating like that. Generating the power with their legs

rather than their arms. The hybrid system adopted by the

Americans. Maybe we will see a show down between those two systems in

the match itself. The Swedes will have other ideas, though. All action

across the platform. Nathan was talking yesterday about

the need for grip to help him out. He was going to take things steadier

after his impromptu swim yesterday. The Kiwis took an advantage on that

shift. It is wet out there. These boys are wet out there, not from

just getting fire hose from the boat, but it is pouring rain. I

think these guys are used to getting a bit moist out on board.

Let's bring in Paul who is on the water for us. What have you spotted

in the opening exchanges? Artemis definitely changed boards from

yesterday. They are on high-speed boards. That gave them the pace off

the start. They are up wind here. They are fast. You saw last time

they tacked on the Kiwi's face and controlling. They look like they

want to protect the left. I would say Artemis faster today, with the

high-speed boards. That's the big change so far.

Right now there's more wind than the forecast. So it is working out for

Artemis. The wind speeds we were expecting around eight to ten knots.

We have been up to 17 I think Artemis is sailing really well. They

have pushed the Kiwis into the right corner. They set up the split here

at the weather mark, pushing the Kiwis back in that corner. When

these guys keep those big mistakes away, they have always looked

spectacular. The Kiwis are doing their Kiwi thing. They keep it

close, as solid as a rock and just wait to pounce. Percy definite lid

chose the correct side here. Less pressure. A little less landmass up

the side of the racecourse that Artemis Racing went to.

Nice little leg by Artemis here. Iain Percy did a good job, he

thought it would be better pressure. And they extended.

Swedes cruising away and looking pretty comfortable at this point.

But when Peter Burling is on your tail I am not sure anything is a

given. So a healthy lead at the moment for the Swedish boat under

Nathan Outteridge. Incredible physical activity and

still having to make the right decisions tactically. Spotting wind

shifts. Working out what the best possible options are.

The Kiwis do not go away. It was almost 200-plus metres.

Oh dear! That is a monster nose-dive from the Swedish boat. What will

that cost them? Something there, out of control on board Artemis.

I think they fouled Emirates Team New Zealand. They are the wind-ward

boat. Emirates Team New Zealand has pushed their button. Let's wait and

see. It's in the hands of the umpires again.

So they are looking for a penalty. It has not been awarded. So a

lifeline to the Swedes. But a dramatic development with only, what

a leg-and-a-half before the reach to the finish. And now battle really

is... Look how tight they are to one and other. Again the Kiwis

protesting against the Swedish boat once more. It was a little loft

there. It was unclear whether there was an overlap or not. Why did

Artemis lose control there? Completely lost control there for a

second. After the tacked they get quite high. Right here and they just

skid side ways. And then this is where it got weird.

All of a sudden the boat went off, really high, flies. Team New Zealand

bore off because they thought they'd have Artemis in their lap. I have to

admit, I am surprised that wasn't a protest. That was a scary situation

there. Pivotal moments and rounding Gate 5,

they are heading downwind for the last time in the race. It's

anybody's at the moment. The Swedes have just about managed to keep

their noses in front. But it is incredibly tight. Very marginal

still. That wasn't too far removed, Ken,

from what we saw the Kiwis doing last Tuesday, when their boat ended

up upside down. The height it got. Before plunging. That is a very fair

point. It is also not too far removed from that Japan Land Rover

BAR land start, when BAR overflu and skidded side way -- overflew and

skidded side ways into Japan. Seems like many moons ago. He looked like

he lost control for a couple of second and set up what could have

been a dangerous situation. So a drive from the Swedes. Goodness,

they have to consider themselves really very fortunate still to have

this lead at this point. I mean, normally a mistake of that

magnitude, Ken, it costs you the lead and it hasn't on this occasion.

We'll have to go back and look at that again. I mean, Artemis, when

they kind of went coulding off away from -- scolding off away from...

They were not going upwind any more, they went off, seemingly losing

control for a sec, I tell you what if I was Peter Burling I would have

done the same thing. I would have been doing that to get out of the

way because I would they would be sitting on my lap in a split second.

It is a fascinating turn of events, of which they have obviously

recovered. Artemis is in a fast layline into

this. Mark, that I'll have a faster angle than Emirates Team New

Zealand, even though they have made the gate. Artemis will come ripping

over this finish line. They will come over, winning just a

handful more metres to go. Recovering so well from what looked

like, well if not the end, then close to the end. But, the Swedes

across in race one of the day. Race four of the final.

At 40 knots and claiming the victory over Peter Burling's New Zealand

team. Level at 2-2 in the challenger play-offs final.

Dramatic turn of events. And when you consider those circumstances,

they will be thrilled, elated and I am sure enormously

What a close finish. There is no shortage of drama out here on the

Great Sound. Race two coming up. Before then, let's look at one of

the newest sites here in Bermuda. The New Zealanders have swapped the

traditional grinders for a bank of cyclists. It is always difficult to

talk specifically about the power that a cyclist can put out over a

set period. It is unusual for cyclist to be pitting out a constant

wattage. They are trying to have a continual output. A typical would be

70 kilos in body weight. Putting out between 400-450 watts on average for

25-30 minutes. However, our world class sprinters can put out powers

of up to 2, 500 watts over short periods. Normally only 10-15

seconds, but averaging about 1,000 watts over a kilometre of the track.

Very interesting to see it on the team New Zealand boat. It is not

unusual. It was expected. In fact, when they looked at trying to

generate these powers, it was one of the areas that some of the sailing

cyclists talked about at length. One of the most surprising points was we

did expect to see one or two of them perhaps in a rekum want position,

rather than in a standard upright more traditional cycling position.

As a sailor and a cyclist it is almost certainly going to be what we

will expect to see coming forward. It probably is what we might call a

game-changer. Clearly the more power that you have available, the more

opportunity you have to use that power in terms of controlling your

win, moving the different elements of the wing at different rates or

moving them more finely or more regularly. And so, therefore, it

would appear that the more power you've got, the more options yo you

have. That is before -- the more options you have. That is before we

go into the aerodynamics, not having arms waving up in the air and

keeping low, so those at the back doing the tactics and the steering

have a better field of view, better line of sight, both for the

competition and the bow as they are steering through the conditions. The

cyclists in short numbers can actually create an incredible amount

of power over a short period of time. Arguably, significantly more

than a similar number of arm-grinders could create.

Particularly during or out of tacks, when we see certain members of the

crew on one side of the hull and others transferring to the other

side. So, through tacks if there was a significant power usage, then

arguably cyclists may be able to maintain, top up or generate that

power with specific efforts and bursts through a cycling that maybe

that's harder through the arm grinder. If Emirates Team New

Zealand end up qualifying for the America's Cup itself, I wonder

whether the cumulative fatigue they may have used using arm grinders may

be less when they are using the cyclists and put them into a

position where they are not as fatigued as they would have been for

having two weeks of racing before meeting Oracle USA in the Cup match

itself. There's the starting line at the top of the screen. 28 seconds to

go before the start. Pretty far away. Is this actually time and

distance back to the line right now? Neither of them are altering course

by any means. Artemis may be slightly, thinks they

are slow, but only 10 seconds to go. Think think is a clean start with

Artemis clearly in the advantage right now. Can New Zealand make that

better angle stick? Away they go. And again it is the

Swedes who are just about in front. But rather than before, there's not

a huge amount in it. And the Kiwis this time on the outside lane, so to

speak. Have you seen this move before? We have seen the move

before, where Artemis will keep them up above the mark. See the mark, in

the left-hand corner, way down there. They are sailing above the

mark. They will try to extend the way. There they go. They peel away

first and try and make a little extension.

Ripping over the water at 42 knots and beyond.

The Swedes keeping it tight to the mark.

Downwind they go. For the fifth race running it is

Nathan Outteridge who has made it to the first mark in front. Across the

couple of weeks we've had here in Bermuda, that has made a big, big

difference, if you take all the teams, as a whole, but the Swedes

have not been converting their leads in quite the same way they would

have liked. We are now 50/50 in this series alone. I believe it is 66% of

the time the Swedes have actually made that first mark lead stick on

to the finish. Interesting the way the course is

set up. The boundary isn't even a fact on this first run.

Let's go down to Paul, and that first reach Artemis made, the kind

of unfavoured speed side worked that time. Clearly the high-speed boards

are better on that first reach, aren't they? Exactly. So far again

it is a tale of the boards. I just wonder how much, even at this

early point, the Kiwis would be concerned about it. Whenever he's

asked about it Peter Burling doesn't seem perturbed by the starts because

he has so much confidence in the boat speed subsequently and their

manoeuvring, as we are seeing here, which is almost second to none.

But if they were to go through, you have been saying repeatedly Ken,

haven't you that Jimmy Spithill will take advantage. I have noticed he's

out here since Japan were eliminated he's been doing practise with Barker

every single day. You know what's in their mind. There's no doubt about

that. I have been in tough spots like

Peter Burling. We have all go through streaks, every other sailor

in the world, where you lose confidence in your starting ability.

There's no doubt about that. It's one thing to lose confidence. A

slight slip up on the tack. You lose confidence in your starting ability,

but you constantly gain confidence in being able to dominate your

opponent if they make one little mistake. Artemis tacked a little

early, off the line of New e New Zealand and they pounced right away.

That was incredible. 99% of his Max heart and every

percentage is counting as they try and push the oil around the system.

This is where we might see a degree of tactical savvy coming into play.

What are the options for the two helmsmen? The option was for Artemis

to tack on top of Team New Zealand order go to the other gate if you

think you are a faster boat. They are paying for it.

So the Kiwis protesting at the path of the Swedes.

That's going to be a Green Flag, I think. The Kiwis did a huff on this

racing world, right into attack. They both did what they had to do in

this situation. Artemis Racing set themselves up to get past, with

really just a bad tactical move. They didn't tack in the right spot

after a leg ago. Watch Burling. He pushes the button before they even

get close. They did what they have to do. Art

myself New Zealand, both likely lying the gate. This is where it

always gets interesting. Looks to me that New Zealand might

get across here. If they get across... Easy cross!

They are really hammering their way up to the gate.

Having come from behind. Something they seem remarkably adept at doing.

Again, look, those hulls are barely moving from the height that they

started the mark rounding at. Inch-perfect. We have a split

course, with the Swedes heading in the other direction. Who is going to

find the better wind pressure Which side of the racecourse looks better?

We have a nice split Usually the side that Artemis is on has a little

more pressure. A little less land to wind-ward of it. I think the kiwis

will come out. They Road pretty comfortable, I think. Artemis made a

mistake, as you said, they are paying for it.

You give these guys any sniff and they extend, a faster boat always

extends like this, you know, and certainly those light air boards

don't seem to be affecting them very much right now, with regard to pace.

Is about 10.5 knots of wind speed on the water right now.

No sign of the I stability really from the Swedes that we -- the

instability really from the Swedes that we saw in that previous race.

They have looked pretty solid. Having been overtaken, they are

facing a real job here. Just a slight little right-hand

shift. I think this is a puffy day. This is as much about the pressure

and where these pressure lines are coming from. They are kind of

scattered all over the racecourse. Rain coming through still. Dark

clouds. Little patch of blue sky. It is a very interesting day for the

weathermen, that is for sure! Kiwis in the mean time, making

serene progress. The average wind speed dropping down to 10.5 knots.

Certainly going to see the Kiwis getting a little bit better as it

gets lighter, as reported. They definitely seem the most

comfortable in the lighter air, don't they? Even when we were in the

round-robin stage, the qualifying stages, they were the ones thriving

when the wind speeds were only at six, seven knots. Right at the

bottom of that. That is when the Kiwis strike fear. In the rest of

the fleet they seem to have more stability in that bottom edge wind

range. One more downwind leg for the New Zealanders to navigate. They

look to have plenty of clear water between themselves and the Swedes at

this point. The Kink in the booshd, that is what we have -- in the

board. That is what we have talked about for a while. It couldn't be

more different than the straight boards of Artemis Racing. You look

at the design and it's really quite interesting and quite strange. These

guys, they round the mark and start going five, eight, sometimes ten

knots faster than the boat going upwind. How it expands so quickly

for that boat that's ahead. 600 metres now. It is a procession

for the Kiwis from here. Not sure that is the word he's imagining at

this moment. I don't think the's seen any of the race yet. Somebody

suggested maybe they said paint some road markings in front of him so he

feels more at home. What is going on with the forearm? And iPhone type

device, we are looking on the forearm here, a lot of boats now

have wireless heads up display is that key instrumentation and

whatever, I don't even know who that was, whatever that position is you

will have key instrumentation critical to your job, it could

display hydraulic pressure, it could display true wind direction, how

many laps you have got, it could be anything when it is a vital piece of

information, whoever that was, they needed at a moment's notice. One

more gate to navigate and then the bus to the finish but Emirates Team

New Zealand to have been displaying all their proficiency in this race.

Another masterclass, really. Get them in front and they are launched.

RADIO: There will be heading for home. How many legs we are still on,

they were saying it is six legs and then to the finish. Always good to

be discussing that as you are a couple of hundred meters from the

finish line. Something is wrong with the Swedes. They are going very much

in the wrong direction at this point. Trouble. We did at this

point. The Kiwis back in front in the play-off final. Their boat speed

is so impressive. And another really good example of their calm and

composure in chasing down opponents, so they lead by three points to two

and the Swedes have officially retired from the race. I wonder if

this is significant in terms of some kind of technical problem? Nathan,

we understand you have dagger board issues, how major is the problem, do

you think you can fix it in the time you have? We should be able to get

it fixed in time, we are fault-finding at the moment, these

boats are pretty complicated, several bits and pieces and once you

work out which part is malfunctioning it is a pretty quick

change, so you can see people having a look at the moment, we will be

good for the race, I'm sure. You have got your nose is back in front,

another excellent race and another example of you having to surrender

-- happy to surrender the lead, I'm sure happy is not the right word,

but at ease chasing? Definitely wasn't our best start but that

configurations we always knew if the bottom half is in good shape we

would have a good crack, there were similar things to what they have

done in the previous race. What a commanding performance from

Emirates Team New Zealand, they are now 3-2 ahead, two more races and it

will be them facing Team USA in the America's Cup.

COMMENTATOR: A pre-start dance well underway between the Swedes, led by

Nathan Outteridge, who of course had trouble in that second race with his

dagger board. Prevented them from finishing the race. The Kiwis, under

Peter Burling, who are just remarkably consistent. Looks like it

is game on out of hare because -- game on out there because these two

are coming together pretty tight. There is a protest from the New

Zealanders. They had overlap, the chief umpire did not think they had

overlap. He is the guy with a final say. Only 20 seconds to the start,

this will quickly turn into time and distance. Emirates Team New Zealand,

though, this time, going from that higher speed side of the line. Looks

like they might have timed this really nicely, the New Zealanders,

they are up and onto their foibles and they are in front. But the

Swedish boat speed is picking up quite drastically on the inside of

them. Beyond 40 knots. There is no doubt, Paul called this earlier,

there is no doubt that these lighter aerofoils are slower to reach. They

might be better point, they might be OK downward, but on a reach... These

guys are sailing off the right now, of the racecourse. It has become a

real strategy of Artemis Racing. Push them way away from this line

then try to stretch out their gap. I'm sorry, but this could be a rerun

of pretty much every race we've seen so far. They are driving the Kiwis

further and further away from the first mark at this point and you get

the impression they know they have got to make hay, they have got to

build as big a lead as they possibly can to keep the Kiwis at arms length

because the New Zealanders will feel they can reel them in from pretty

much anywhere, this kind of distance will be nothing for them in their

mind. Paul, on the water, why do you think that the longer foils of New

Zealand show up on a deficiency on that first weeks but seem not to

underrun, you would think they had similar modes the dagger boards. As

you know, the run, you take it down, not quite as high-speed as you are

on the 100 degrees reach, said that is the highest speed of the whole

race. That is where the Kiwis are paying for it the most. The wind is

still at 11 knots over also lets see how the rest of the race pans out.

Right at the transition where most of these teams toss a coin over

which ones to use. The Swedes in front, setting the pace, setting the

agenda, they have to make sure they keep their foot on the throat of the

Kiwis. That has proved a very difficult thing for them to achieve.

This is getting close, left-hand ship going up this lake. Artemis

Racing starting to dial down. The Kiwis got back into it on a bit of a

left-hand wind shift. The Kiwis did a big dip thinking they would get

dialled even harder and gave up a bit of distance, gave that distance

right back again. There is a great race brewing here,

you feel. Very little in it, decent wind speed, great boat speed. I tell

you, the Kiwis, either they are playing the wind shift better or

they are flying, because they seem a little higher and a little faster on

this leg. Go back and look at this, the Kiwis tapped port tack,

immediately Artymata styles right down at them, 90 degrees, the Kiwis

actually come off their foils a little bit there and gave up eight

or ten boat lengths on the dial down so very effective dial down

manoeuvre by Nathan Outteridge and Artemis Racing. Still not much in

it, though. Tacking right on top, wing wash will come into effect here

for sure. So this is where the Swedes try to spoil the air of the

New Zealanders alongside them in the slipstream, looking to try to ensure

that they don't get a clear run at it, but the Kiwis are not

interested. It is not like car racing where you can do a little

bump and it is not affected being behind. The Kiwis are going to

think, we are just simply click a point, let's keep this close and get

them on the next upwind leg. Keep it close if you are a Kiwi fan, that is

what you are thinking. Pretty big split here right now, though. Big

split on the racecourse. Wind shift, when the boats get this far apart,

absolutely magnifies the situation. There go the Swedes. Tacking one

final time, the New Zealanders have done similarly on the other side of

the course. There is not going to be a huge amount in this as they headed

to Gate 3. But it looks like the left-hand mark at the top of the

gate, Wright appear, is closer, so we'd will be interesting to see if

art is tax forward or continues all the way across. They are crossing

the ahead of New Zealand but it sure looks like the wind has shifted on

the racecourse and both going around these mark that very similar

moments. Almost exactly the same turn time. Nip and tuck between

these two. Paul, has there been a general trend to the wind going in

one direction or another? It looks like the racecourse is tilted right

now? Yes, you are right, the wind is skewed to the left of the axis a

little bit but I'm also pretty impressed, I think the Kiwis are

going really fast because they went the right corner on that last part,

right behind the highest land around and I thought they might get light

over there but they didn't. Yes, the course is skewed that the Kiwis are

fast. The Swedish boat unquestionably our noisiest boat in

the fleet, not just because of the communications on-board, the

talkative nature of the crew, but it tends to make a high-pitched howling

noise. They have made a big gain on this side of the racecourse so not

only did that spit at the top work in so far as getting the Kiwis

around the gate Martin almost identical time but here they make

yet another pass. Upwind and downwind they are going really fast

right now. Neat and tidy on the gybe for

Artemis Racing. The Kiwis really flying up the far end of the course.

Hulls out of the water, on the foils all the way. We thought this would

happen as we went along. The boat speed is becoming more into play.

100% on both boats means nobody has really made that fatal mistakes boat

speed is thing that takes over. These guys gybe directly in front.

Will Artemis split to the other side or follow them in? They will have to

make that play right here, right now. They are following them around.

So, so tight on the tail, the Swedes. Within two meters, going 25,

30 knots. Bearing away on the tax, the Swedes.

The New Zealanders, just this very slick, well oiled machine, totally

confident in their boat and their boat handling. The way everybody

interacts. Both boats going very similar speeds through the water but

I am maintaining that the BMG is much better the team New Zealand

right now. We just saw at tack on Sweden but both boats are going a

similar boat speed through the water. Let's wait for these two

tacks to happen, the bottom number on both sides is the key number,

once the boats settling, let's see who has a better the MG towards the

mark. 1.5 lengths of this race remaining.

Look at the Kiwis there. Keep an eye on the bottom number, it was picking

up from New Zealand perspective. As the boat settled in on the tacks,

they were three or points faster. Paul, a tenth of not is a beautiful

thing, with these guys are talking four, five knots! It is a whole

different ball game, Fisher! Attempt the knot was a huge deal in our day!

-- one tenth of a knot. You look at the angle that team New Zealand...

They are just pointing higher all the time than Artemis Racing. Are we

now at the stage of the race where the Swedes are going to have to hope

them Kiwis make a mess of my? It is not something the red boat is out to

do very often, we have seen that throughout this entire series so

far. It is a fine line between waiting for the guy in front of you

to make a mistake and pure desperation, and as a tactician you

have to make that call at some stage. You have got to try something

or, let's just stick with it. Getting towards make or break time

for the Swedish crew. This could really change things, this race. The

New Zealanders leading 3-2. The difference between a 4-2 lead

overnight and three points apiece if the Swedes pull it off is just

enormous. So much pressure coming to bear on Nathan Outteridge and the

rest of his team at this point. These dagger board choices have just

become such an integral part of this America's Cup. Slower on that first

reach, behind every single rate at Mach number one for Emirates Team

New Zealand so far. Right now they are cruising to a 4-2 series lead.

Really kind of unheard of. Gate 5. Downwind. For the last time

in the race. Time running out for Artemis Racing here, the Kiwis have

set the agenda, they forced the pace of the race is pretty much from the

outset. Certainly chasing down the Swedes to very good effect. They

have got them where they want them, hard to see them tripping up from

here. When the Kiwis get ahead, they just extend. Always the sign of a

quick about. One more tack. Let's go back out to Paul for a second. If

you are Sweden, what do you do? There is not much, they can only

hope for some kind of a breakdown. It is going to be one drive and in

probably Sweden. They will have to regroup tonight, come out swinging.

An old boss of mine told me a long time ago, hope is not a strategy you

want to rely on! The effort is still going in. But the hopes are fading

and fading fast at this stage. The New Zealanders so well organised, so

well drilled, so confident, and cruising across the top of the

water. As we have discussed through the opening fortnight here, it might

just be one of a number of different ages adding up to the excellent in

the water. One more gybe through this gate and it looks like they

might have the gybe couple of times to get to the finish line. The

finish line is dead downwind from this gate, from this final gate.

Without a big mishap by Emirates Team New Zealand, this race looks

pretty over. The final gate, they are cutting it pretty fine, that is

just about as animated as you will hear Peter Burling. Are they out of

hydraulic pressure to be able to do these two jibes very quickly? Only

15, 16 knots now for the the Kiwis. Artemis screaming up from behind.

And now it is anybody's, would you believe the Swedes are right back in

the hunt from out of nowhere! Will the New Zealanders managed to hang

on? There is absolutely nothing in it! New Zealand tearing across, they

are just about going to knows that! Oh, my goodness, what are breathless

finish! Protest from the Swedish boat. Is that going to make a

difference at this point? A bit of a desperation protest, I didn't see

anything on the monitor that the Kiwis did wrong there. Still no

decision on the penalty. We will wait and see what the decision is

from Richard Slater, the chief umpire. The Kiwis are celebrating.

There is no penalty, we understand, so the New Zealanders win the race,

they have won it clean and they are now in pole position in the

Challenger play-off final, pivotal race. Sweden now match point down

and one more race will do it for the Kiwis. It just shows that every time

we sit here and say, yes, looks good, this team will win, out of

nowhere the Kiwis actually make an unforced error, something that we'd

just so rarely have seen during this event. So, results today, two wins

for the Kiwis, having lost the first they bounced back. The Swedes in

flying form in the opening race of the day. The Kiwis' starts need a

bit of work but the handling is first class. So, the challenger

play-offs' standings, with the New Zealanders leading 4-2 in this best

of five contest, and maximum of nine races, so three more to come, the

Swedes need all three. You cannot relax for a moment in

this America's Cup, what a nail-biting finish in that final

race. That win puts the New Zealanders tantalisingly close to

challenge Oracle for the cup. Just one more win. For the Swedish team,

they now cannot afford to put a foot wrong. Here are the skippers' takes

on the day. Much talk this morning about having the right foil

combination for the conditions. How did you feel you set up, perhaps not

as high as you hope to? The first race we were gusting around 20

knots, the Artemis guys definitely had a slightly more upper range

configurations and ourselves. It changed how we went about the day,

just about hanging in on the first reach and run, taking opportunities

but I think the boys did a great job today producing heaps of power so we

could keep manoeuvring and hammering away and generate opportunities to

pass. Managing to come back from the loss in the first race to take 2-1,

a really good day. It feels like, watching it, that even when it is

not a perfect conditions you have speed to burn, you can always come

back. How confident are you and your team that you are on pace? We are

really happy with the pace, a lot of today was about generating

opportunities to use the pace and get back into the lead. Full credit

to the Artemis guys. Reaching downwind and also upwind, they

really pushed us today. The boys were up for the challenge. Nathan, I

have to start with the photo finish in the final race! How did you gain

so much pace, what was it like? It was probably one of the closest

races I've ever had in terms of the finishing line. We managed to avoid

giving an additional gybe on that run, New Zealand had to do three, we

got to do one, and coming gym doing 35 knots overland, really tight

finish and unfortunately they just got ahead of us. You were so

dominant in all of the starts, talk to us about that medal race and just

how hard it is to keep these guys behind you? It is incredibly

difficult, either you start your own race and go boundary to boundary,

let them catch you, or you take it on and try to load them down. The

upper winds go quite a bit longer than the downwind so even though we

are quicker on the reach and downwind we probably spent more time

up win so we will have to look at what we can do better tomorrow. Are

they unstoppable? They are definitely beatable, we have

12-macro races off them so far, consistently winning the starts, and

the races we have one have been through good tactics and great

failings and if we can keep winning those starts, making their life

difficult, one race at a time, it is a big task but we did that in the

semifinal and we are looking forward to the challenge tomorrow. Joining

me is an Olympic sailor Stevie Morrison. Today, conditions were

tricky and it seems like the teams were struggling to stay under

control? It was very changeable weather and I think you saw how hard

the boats can beat a sale. I don't think for one minute they can be not

adjusting the foils to keep those boats flying sap so through the tack

we saw art is flying out of the water and we heard they had a

problem with the control buttons, it is crazy to think they are

controlling both with buttons, systems like that, it shows how on a

knife edge these boats are. It looks like the New Zealanders, they are

not keen to engage in the start box, is that a throwback to the capsize?

I saw Pete the day after and definitely shook up the guys on the

boat. It is a very different control system with their boards where Peter

is steering the boat and Blair is flying the boat. I wonder if at slow

speed if they have a slight issue in that communication, I am sure they

are a bit nervous but I also feel they are pretty fast and think, if

we stay out of trouble we can win a yacht race after the start. They are

fast, they can get out of trouble, whatever is thrown at them. Do you

think anybody can take them on, can anybody be to them? You would never

let against Oracle from what we have seen before, you would never bet

against Iain Percy or Nathan Outteridge, so it is all on

tomorrow. The Kiwis were at match point a few years ago for an awful

long time said they will be feeling some nerves to finish it but their

boat looks very impressive and I would like to be going out of the

race tomorrow in their boat rather than any other.

Thank you. Join us tomorrow for the climax of the Challenger final, when

we will know who will go head-to-head against Oracle Team USA

for the America's Cup.