New Zealand crossed the start line just one second off the pace, settling into second place 2.1 seconds behind the lead boat at Mark 1. Rather than holding their line while the fleet developed around them, the Black Foils committed at once to a gybe, going for the strong pressure building on the left-hand side of the course. No other team had yet turned. It was an instant, decisive call.
That early gybe proved to be the race-winning move. New Zealand found full flight almost immediately, rolling cleanly into the next reach with gathering speed, and by Mark 2 they had taken the lead. From that point, the Kiwis were managing the race rather than chasing it, carving a clear path while disorder built through the fleet behind them.
By Mark 3, the Black Foils had settled into a disciplined rhythm, sailing fast and low, keeping their manoeuvre count down and finding clean air. Canada was the most immediate threat, but a moment near Gate 5 shifted the picture. The Canadians tried to mirror New Zealand's low line through the gate and the attempt nearly cost them dearly. Their foils came uncomfortably close to stalling during a mistimed tack, and that hesitation was all New Zealand needed to push clear and consolidate their advantage.
Emirates GBR were locked in a fight for third but found themselves squeezed by competing pressures. Spain was shadowing them closely while Canada crowded from another angle, forcing the British team onto a high line on the upwind leg. Unable to execute their preferred approach to the final gate, they finished third, without ever truly threatening the front two.
Australia dropped deep into the fleet after a slow rounding of Mark 1. Some smart split tacks mid-race helped them claw back through the pack and they ultimately finished sixth, though any realistic chance of a podium had gone early on.
While the front three boats were settling their order through the closing marks, Switzerland's afternoon was unravelling separately. The Swiss were already struggling when a boundary penalty on approach to Mark 6 compounded their difficulties. It was their third penalty of the race, ending any lingering chance of a meaningful result.
France, absent for the whole of Day 1, returned to competition with some aggression early on. Their boat showed genuine moments of pace, but two boundary penalties for infringements disrupted any attempt to build momentum, leaving the French buried in a congested midfleet where their speed counted for little.
At the finish, the result reflected the shape of the race from the very first mark. New Zealand crossed with a commanding margin, the only team in the fleet to record 100 per cent flight time. They completed the course in 9 minutes and 2 seconds, with clean manoeuvres throughout and no boundary penalties. Canada held on for second, finishing 17 seconds later. Emirates GBR crossed 19 seconds after that in third.
Through the middle and closing stages, the Kiwis managed their angles with precision, tacked less frequently than the boats around them, and executed clean positioning at every mark.
Race 5 adds to a strong body of work across this regatta. Aside from a poor Race 4, New Zealand have been a consistent top-three presence throughout. Race 5 showed sharp tactical thinking from the very first seconds, an early gybe taken with full commitment, held with discipline, and rewarded at the finish.
Race 5 result:
- New Zealand Black Foils, 10 points - Canada, 9 points - Emirates GBR - BONDS Flying Roos - Spain - ROCKWOOL DEN - GER Deutsche Bank - Switzerland - Mubadala Brazil - Red Bull Italy - France, 0 points
With USA out of this race.
Fleet race total:
- Emirates GBR, 44 points - New Zealand Black Foils, 36 points - BONDS Flying Roos, 33 points - Switzerland, 33 points - Spain, 26 points - Red Bull Italy, 25 points - ROCKWOOL DEN, 22 points - Canada, 19 points - GER Deutsche Bank, 15 points - Mubadala Brazil, 12 points - United States, 10 points - France, 0 points
