Team New Zealand skipper Peter Burling warns it'll take more than just straight-out boat speed to win next year's edition of the America's Cup.
Burling says tactical decisions will be vital on the Hauraki Gulf , especially against the best sailors in the world.
On Wednesday, the challengers engaged in mind games, as they prepare to clash on the water in earnst for the first time in the America's Cup World Series on Friday.
INEOS Team UK have struggled during the past week of practice, only making the start line once.
"I think it's pretty clear to everyone we're struggling in the lighter airs taking off and some of the manoeuvres," admits skipper Sir Ben Ainslie.
There's been no such issue for Team New Zealand, who have looked the most impressive team early on, apart from losing to American Magic in the last practice on Tuesday.
Unlike its challengers, Team New Zealand have only four days of racing to get up to speed.
After that, they will only be able to train on their own until the America's Cup begins in March.
But local knowledge of the unique wind shifts and the tricky tides will be vital.
Unlike previous America's Cups, this will be proper match racing and not just a drag race, and getting quickly onto the foils -and staying there throughout - could be the difference between winning and losing.
"The more high performance the boat, the more the tactical decisions get amplified," says Burling. "So if you make one really wrong, you lose a whole head of time."
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