America's Cup - Match Day 5 - The song remains the same

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/NZ on 26 Jun 2017 Same routine for the teams and event organisers today, as with any other.

For fans it is maybe a little different.

On the 9.00am ferry on the way over as we turned the corner to head into the Royal Dockyard, over to the left Emirates Team New Zealand's wingsail was hanging from the crane - same as it is every other race day.

On the opposite base the hook from the Oracle Team USA crane had been lowered - and the US flag was being removed.

Later Aotearoa New Zealand was in the water and ready to go out for another practice run. Oracle Team USA was on the crane - daggerboards in and said to be their light air set.

In the media briefing with Race Director Iain Murray and Chief Umpire Richard Slater, the weather forecast was posted - much the same as yesterday with a 7-10kt breeze for the race start time of 2.12pm and staying at that strength for the afternoon.

Murray pointed out that it seemed to be stronger than that at present, but the teams expected to it ease.

Predictwind.com has it nearer the Emirates Team New Zealand forecast of 9-12 knots.

The discussion at the media conference focussed on the penalty imposed on Oracle Team USA for sailing outside a boundary.

Iain Murray made one of his interesting observations that the AC50's need a full reservoir of pressured hydraulic oil to be able to do just one manoeuvre - foiling tack or gybe.

Somehow from what we have seen at times on the water, it is doubtful if Emirates Team New Zealand is in that category. It would seem that they have enough for two, and can also replenish more quickly than the other teams.

That is why the Kiwis will always win a tacking or gybing duel - even if the outcome is just to break tacks.

The New Zealand team need to win just one more race to uplift the America's Cup for the second time. The US team need to win another six races. On the current schedule that could take until Wednesday afternoon.