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Repechage, Race 2
Luna Rossa v American Magic
Luna Rossa win by 3m 07s, lead 2-0
Finish - Italy take a 2-0 lead in the Prada Cup semi-final, looking very impressive against, admittedly, struggling opponents.
American Magic finish 3m 07s behind. They've completed the course twice, which is something, considering what they've been through - but their campaign could end tomorrow.
Leg eight - The Italians cruising to the finish now and the Americans yet to round the top mark.
They're finally there, 1m 53s back.
American Magic suffer another big landing and struggle to stay upright. They've lost all power.
Leg seven - Clinical display from the Italians, who are taking less chances around the marks now.
This series could be over tomorrow, with the winners needing four wins - Luna Rossa are well on their way to halfway there. American Magic finally round 1m 53s back.
The margin is coming down on the water, now only 1.5km, but Luna Rossa now laying for the final mark.
They round to start the final leg downwind.
Leg six - American Magic drop a lot of time on that leg and round 1m 06s back, losing 29 seconds on that stretch.
The Americans fall off their foils and their deficit is now almost 2km and Luna Rossa have already rounded the bottom mark.
Leg five - Luna Rossa stretch out to 550m upwind. They tack at the right boundary and American Magic will follow soon.
The Italians showing much better speed into the wind and rapidly stretch their lead to more than 700m.
They're laying for the top mark.
A lot of chatter on board Prada and they've been working better comms over the past week.
Leg four - Margin is now 400m on the water, as both boats jibe from the left boundary. They're in phase, with no-one game to force a split.
Wind is getting shifty out on the course and the margin has swelled to 650m.
Luna Rossa reach the bottom mark and take the left gate. American Magic take a wide berth from the right and lag 37 seconds behind.
Leg three - We can expect the Americans to make up some ground after that whoopsy from Luna Rossa.
The margin is still 250m though, so not too much damage.
The Americans have a sniff here and they know they're just a mistake away from the lead.
Both boats laying for the top mark from the left. Prada round and complain about the helicopter above the mark - American Magic are just 25 seconds back.
Leg two - The margin is about 300m on the water, as the Italians jibe left at the boundary.
Luna Rossa already laying for the bottom mark and round right. They round at speed and go airborne - that brought back bad memories - but they regain control.
American Magic round 22 seconds back.
Leg one - Luna Rossa out to an early 100m-plus lead.
Both boats clocking high-30 knots into the wind, American Magic managing their deficit around 150m.
Luna Rossa round the top mark first, 17 seconds ahead, and head right downwind.
Start - Confirmation from the race committee that the next race will proceed as planned. Both boats carrying out pre-race manoeuvres.
Luna Rossa will have port entry first, American Magic from starboard.
Luna Rossa heading right and the Americans just shadowing them as this stage, but not committing to that direction.
Some wobbles from Dean Barker - both boats pass very close.
Italy head back to the line, American Magic taking a shallower approach.
Luna Rossa cross first again, but Magic are right behind them, both heading left upwind.
3:55pm - Next race is timed to go at 4:15pm.
Repechage, Race 1
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli v NYYC American Magic
Luna Rossa win by 2m 43s, lead 1-0
Leg eight - The Italians fall off their foils momentarily, but are quickly back up to speed.
Their lead is back up to 2.5km and they're cruising 45 knots downwind.
Luna Rossa reach the finish and take a one race lead in the Prada Cup semis. That's a pretty impressive performance - they're weren't the fastest on course, but they executed perfectly.
While they're well beaten, Dean Barker and his crew will hopefully take some confidence from getting their boat around the course in one piece, after their last outing. They finish 2m 43s back.
Leg seven - The race is Luna Rossa's to lose now, they just need to keep their boat afloat.
The Americans have reached 53 knots and have actually made up some ground from that splashdown - but they're now 2m 25s behind. Still, the lead is below 2km.
Luna Rossa reach the top mark for the last time and round left - very smooth.
Leg six - American Magic have gone off course and had a big splashdown. They've lost a lot of ground with this and there are expletives coming from the boat - the umpires have slapped them with a boundary penalty.
They're now almost 3km behind, Luna Rossa are at the bottom mark and round smoothly.
Leg five - They're halfway through this race now and the Americans are desperately seaching for a way back. They're now only 400m back.
The Italians are just covering their opponents, both heading right and about to lay for the top mark.
American Magic showing better speed, but not making any headway.
Luna Rossa round the top mark and seem to have put more distance on their opponents.
The advantage has stretched to 58 seconds - hard to come back from here for the Americans.
Leg four - The Americans have split from their rivals, looking for a way back into the contest. They've just clocked a top speed of 50.8 knots, but they're still losing ground.
That margin is now 600m. Luna Rossa are at the bottom mark and round left, but head back across towards the left.
American Magic have retained their 33-second deficit.
Leg three - Patriot hit a top speed of 50.5 knots downwind, with Prada reaching 49.7 knots.
Right now, both boats are pushing high-30s INTO the wind. This is the fastest we've seen these boats travel.
American Magic are whittling back the lead to less than 400m.
Luna Rossa lay for the top mark and take the right turn. American Magic head left, 33 seconds back.
Leg two - Downwind now and Luna Rossa pushing 50 knots already.
The advantage is now 400m and both boats are steaming - Luna Rossa still a couple of knots faster on average.
They are already rounding the bottom mark and the Italians head left, with the Americans now 22 seconds back, following their rivals left.
Leg one - American Magic fell off the foils before the start and Luna Rossa put the foot down at that precise second to seize the advantage. Both boats are cocking high-30 knots upwind.
Eight legs today, so longer than we're used to.
The Italians have a 150m lead halfway down the first leg.
That first leg took now time at all, with the Italians leading around the top mark and bearing right. American Magic are 18 seconds behind.
Start - Luna Rossa have won the toss and elected to send American Magic into the start box first from port.
American Magic rocket through the start box and head right, but fall off their foils.
One minute to go and the Amercians are still heading right. Prada have tacked inside them and lead back to the line.
Prada leads across the line by a few seconds and heads left.
3:09pm - Wind is bordering on the upper limit for racing and the boats have been quite conservative in their build-ups.
3:05pm - Apparently Luna Rossa had All Blacks great Richie McCaw at their dockout ceremony today, obviously giving them the benefit of his sailing expertise.
Meanwhile, American Magic have become the people's favourite and attracted a big crowd to see their boat hit the water again.
*****
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the America's Cup challenger series repechage between Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and NYYC American Magic.
With INEOS Team UK already winning their way into next month's Prada Cup final, the Italians and Americans must now battle for the other remaining spot over a best-of-seven series this weekend.
Of course, the New York Yacht Club entry has had endure a dramatic two weeks since their last race, which ended in a spectacular crash on the Hauraki Gulf. They've spent the past fortnight repairing their yacht, Patriot, which was left with a massive hole in the hull and fried software below decks.
The Americans have been out on the water this week and reportedly had a slight splashdown, which would have got their crew back on the bike, and given them some confidence that their boat (and nerves) could handle the impact.
Today's weather offers 16-20 knots of wind from the south-southwest, so towards the upper limit of wind. Once again, Course C will be used - remember, American Magic's accident happened on Course A, further out in the channel - so best spectator vantage points will be North Head and Bastion Point.
Desperately seeking their first win of the regatta, American Magic, helmed by Kiwi Dean Barker, was ahead of Luna Rossa, when they went airborne. They must quickly regain that self-belief, if they are to nail down the second final spot against the Brits.
TAB odds: Luna Rossa $1.80, American Magic $1.90
Prada Cup schedule shocking - sailing expert
Just two weeks ago, the America's Cup challenger series began and already we've reached the semi-final stage - but sailing veteran Ken Read questions whether the scheduling is up to scratch.
The challengers started their quest to win the 'Auld Mug' three years ago and with just five days of racing in the books, is it fair on the challengers that one boat will be flying home after this weekend?
In 2017, each side had 10 races to prepare themselves for the knockout stage, while this year, there have only been six races, including one 'ghost race' for the Italians and the British.
Sailing great Ken Read feels the scheduling isn't up to scratch and doesn't provide the challengers with a stern enough test to prepare them for Emirates Team New Zealand in the America's Cup.
"It is shocking to think we've just started," Read tells The AM Show.
"I think when they go back and look at the scheduling at this event, there will be questions asked over time whether this was done properly for the challengers to pick the best person, because really, they are just starting."
This year's Prada Cup has been tightly compressed compared to previous editions and sailing expert Richard Gladwell can't fathom how quickly they've raced through it.
"The thing with this event is it's a real sudden-death series, where those other series have been a lot longer," he writes on sail-world.com.
"In Fremantle, the round robins ran over three months, while the round robin here ran over just five days - it's just crazy."
The business end of the Prada Cup is upon us, with semi-final action bringing a sense of urgency with the increased stakes.
This contest has an air of desperation, with both sides battling to find form and stay alive.
"Neither of these teams are perfect right now, and the big question mark is the Americans and whether the boat will be in one piece, and if they've worked all the gremlins out it," Read says.
"It's fascinating, nobody has any idea what is going to happen this weekend."
The semi-final series is a best-of-seven races, meaning the first team to notch four wins claim victory.
