Americas cup

[sparky]

Race 1 is underway!!!!!!!!

[sparky]

Team NZ about 80m ahead on Leg 1.

[sparky]

TNZ 24 seconds ahead at Gate 1.

[sparky]

British boat looking fasting down wind though.

[sparky]

TNZ 15 seconds ahead at Gate 2.

[sparky]

TNZ lengthening their lead on Leg 3.

[sparky]

TNZ 35 second ahead at Gate 3.

[sparky]

Obviously pattern emerging. New Zealand with an advantage upwind. British edging it downwind. Game on!

[sparky]

TNZ still ahead at Gate 4.

[sparky]

Up to a 40 second gap now.

[sparky]

TNZ ahead at Gate 5.

[sparky]

56 advantage to Team New Zealand at Gate 5 and the start of the final leg.

[sparky]

The holders of the America's Cup are pulling away!!!!

[sparky]

And that's the first!

Team New Zealand win race one of the America's Cup 2024!

[sparky]

The British boat finishes 41 second behind.

[nzzp]

@sparky I missed the start - how did tnz get in front?

Start advantage, or errors by Ineos?

[sparky]

@nzzp Start advantage. The British were late into the start box because they had a battery issue.

[sparky]

The British boat is faster downwind but notably was weaker than Team New Zealand in that first race upwind.

They are going to need to improve their start and their upwind performance if they are to seize the Auld Mug.

[sparky]

Numbers from Race One suggest there is not much between these two boats:

https://twitter.com/NiwakaFerreris/status/1845094745129041953

[sparky]

Race 2 underway.