After a brief delay following the previous race which was abandonded due to kit failure on the American boat, the third race of the day finally got underway, much to the anticipation of fans and teams alike. Both the UK and Italy looked strong during the pre-race preparations, setting the stage for what promised to be an intense competition.
With just three minutes to go before the start, the tension was palpable. At exactly 1:15am here in New Zealand, the race began, and the UK team quickly seized an early lead. However, their enthusiasm got the better of them as they jumped the gun, incurring a penalty that saw Italy surge ahead by 200 metres.
As the teams raced down the first leg, Italy maintained their 200-metre lead, both boats averaging an impressive 35 knots. Italy then picked up even more speed, widening their lead by an additional 50 metres. The UK team, determined not to fall too far behind, managed to reduce the gap slightly, bringing it to 225 metres, but Italy remained firmly in control.
Four minutes into the race, Italy rounded the first gate, with the UK following just 10 seconds later. As the race moved into the second leg, Italy continued to extend their lead, pushing it to 350 metres. The Italian team was in top form, clearly aiming for their second win of the day.
By the eight-minute mark, Italy had navigated around the bottom gate, with the UK still chasing hard but falling further behind. Although the UK team began to close the gap slightly, Italy responded by picking up the pace again, maintaining their significant lead. With the wind blowing at a steady 8 knots, both boats were moving at an average of 30 knots, making it difficult for the UK to close the distance.
As the race approached the 13-minute mark, Italy rounded the third gate and entered the fourth leg, with the UK just 200 metres behind. However, the wind began to slow, reducing the boats’ speeds and making it even harder for the UK to catch up. Despite their best efforts, the UK team couldn’t make up the ground needed to challenge Italy’s lead.
By the time Italy had navigated around the final bottom gate and was heading up leg five. The UK followed 28 seconds later, but Italy continued to widen the gap, now leading by 400 metres. At 21 minutes, Italy rounded their final gate of the day, with the UK trailing 30 seconds behind.
In the final stretch, Italy put on a masterclass, powering down the last leg with the UK struggling to keep up. Italy crossed the finish line at 24 minutes, with the UK following 46 seconds later. It was a superb performance by the Italian team, who controlled the race from start to finish.
While it was a commendable effort from both teams, it was a bitter loss for the UK, who were unable to recover from their early penalty. Italy, on the other hand, can celebrate a well-deserved victory, having outpaced and outmanoeuvred their rivals throughout the race.
