Light winds will force SailGP crews to a place they hoped they wouldn't need to go on the second day of racing at Dubai.
In a bid to maintain competitive racing on the Persian Gulf, teams will use the biggest of their three wing options - the 29-metre version that let New Zealand down in spectacular fashion in France three months ago.
Crews have three wing options - 18 metres, 24 metres and 29 metres, designed specifically for light breezes - but the largest model snapped as the Kiwis headed back to port after racing on the opening day at Saint-Tropez.
No-one was hurt in the incident, but they were unable to complete that leg of the international series and could not contest the following regatta at Taranto, Italy two weeks later without a suitable replacement.
New Zealand returned to racing at Cadiz, Spain, in October with a borrowed wing and have since received the original back, fully repaired.
Still, they had hope to lean heavily on the 24-metre version at Dubai.
"It's been fixed for a little while now," wing trimmer Blair Tuke told Newshub. "The new section went in, and we're in a position where we feel pretty comfortable that the structural engineers knew what the fault was and how we can mitigate that.
"There are pretty light wind conditions, so not quite the same conditions we sailed with those wings at Saint-Tropez, and that gives everyone a little more confidence.
"Saying that, there's still a bit of apprehension around from the wider group. When something like that happens, it's pretty scary for everyone."
On the opening day at Dubai, New Zealand finished sixth, second and fourth in fleet racing to sit second behind defending champions Australia, skippered by Jimmy Spithill. They face another two fleet races overnight (NZ time), followed by the three-boat podium race.
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