Australia claimed victory in the Auckland final after a tightly contested three boat showdown in strengthening breeze and rain on the Waitematā Harbour.
The deciding race began at 12:44pm under darkening skies, with only Australia, Emirates GBR and Spain on the start line. All three teams are former event winners, and margins were minimal from the outset.
Spain led into Mark 1, holding a narrow advantage over Australia, who rounded just three seconds behind. Emirates GBR followed five seconds back. The fleet remained compressed through the opening legs, with less than a few seconds separating the three boats at Mark 2.
The pivotal moment came around Mark 3. Australia rounded just half a second off the lead before executing a strong transition to seize control. A protest involving Australia was reviewed on the water, but the umpires ruled no penalty and racing continued uninterrupted.
From that point, Australia controlled the race. Spain maintained pressure but were unable to establish an overlap on the final legs. Emirates GBR split away in the closing stages in search of stronger pressure, but the move did not yield the gains required.
Australia rounded the final mark first and crossed the finish line at 12:50:52 to secure the race win and the Auckland regatta. Emirates GBR finished 14.1 seconds behind, with Spain 16.1 seconds back.
In challenging squall conditions on a compact course, Australia delivered a composed and disciplined performance to close out the event.
