New Zealand's newly branded 'Black Foils' have delivered on their home team favouritism to take SailGP victory at Christchurch, capitalising on misfortune to archrivals Australia to snatch the series lead.
After dolphins on the Lyttelton course forced cancellation of racing on Saturday, the schedule was reduced to three fleet races and a final on Sunday, but the champion Aussies were forced out of contention early, when they suffered damage during the opening race.
At the end of the day, Peter Burling and his home side took on defending champions Canada, with Kiwi skipper Phil Robertson, and France for regatta honours, and executed perfectly to sail away for the win.
"Doesn't get any better than that," said Kiwi wing trimmer Blair Tuke. "Race weekend win at home, beautiful conditions, crowd... after yesterday's disappointment for everyone, we're so stoked to put on a good show today.
"We said we hoped to do it and we've done it.
"We got into a tough spot in that last fleet race to make the final, but held it together, and executed a good start and had a clean race from there."
In race one, France started best and New Zealand were trapped on the outside at the first mark, settling into fourth.
The event was thrown wide open, when championship leaders Australia contacted Canada and became hooked on a marker buoy, effectively putting them out of the contest and out for the day.
The Kiwis made a big gain on the upwind fifth leg to pass the French and set up a drag race to the final mark. The home side arrived first and sprinted to victory, with Spain third.
Last year's winners, Canada, who also collided with the United States in pre-start, regrouped for fifth. Emerging relatively unscathed, they were fastest at the startline for race two.
The Black Foils trailled the field around the second mark, but worked their way through the fleet to fourth. Robertson steered the Canadians home first, with Spain second and Great Britain third.
The Spanish had raced consistently across the two races and won the third start, but France and Canada came through at the second mark.
New Zealand settled into fourth early, but needed to pick up another spot to make the final and, ideally, Robertson and Canada. Again, they made big ground upwind, grabbing second approaching the fifth mark.
France won going away, but the Foils' second placing put them atop the standings into the final, with Canada also progressing, as they headed off Spain.
"It's just so nice to get racing today after yesterday and showing what this venue can do," said Burling, who hadn't started well all day.
"We haven't felt overly comfortable, especially in the start area. We've got ourselves in really good spots, but haven't quite executed that final bit, but hopefully, it will get easier with just three boats."
All three hit the startline at speed, but Burling gave Amokura the inside running to grab the initiative. Robertson split away on the third leg, but found only light airs that saw Canada slip well behind.
France tracked the Kiwis, but were unable to find any gains, as the home team won going away.
Only eight points behind Australian before the event, New Zealand took away 10 for victory, while the Aussies gained only one in last place, unable to continue after their misfortune.
The fleet now heads to Bermuda in May, with further stops at Halifax and New York, before the final at San Francisco in July.
Live coverage of the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix 2024 will be hosted on Three & ThreeNow
