America's Cup 2021: Light winds prevent racing between Emirates Team NZ, Luna Rossa

The deadlocked America's Cup match between Emirates Team NZ and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli remains just that, after light winds forced the cancellation of racing off Auckland on Sunday.

With the series locked at 3-3 after Saturday's two races, both teams were desperate to sweep the day and move within a day of lifting the 'Auld Mug'.

But weather conditions failed to play ball out on Course A, off Auckland's East Coast Bays.

With an average wind strength of 6.5 knots needed to achieve a start, the breeze flickered around that lower threshold all afternoon. Occasionally, the race committee would optimistically set a start time, but were repeatedly frustrated in their efforts. 

Eventually, as time ticked towards the 6pm cutoff, officials abandoned those fruitless efforts and set sights on Monday.

After three days of light winds, conditions are expected to improve, with a breeze closer to the upper limits of the range.

Sailors in both crews are well used to waiting for winds and spent their time chilling on deck.

"I think the Italians may have lost a slight advantage," veteran sailing commentator Ken Read tells Newshub. "It's going to be breezy the next few days.

"Word on the street is that the Kiwis are fast in the breeze, but there have been plenty of surprises so far, so we'll have to see."

Teams can't change much structurally on their boats, but Read expects completely different sail packages in the higher winds and hopes for a different course, perhaps one of the shiftier  Waitematā Harbour tracks.

"Let's have some fun," he says. "I think we're all tired of the light air.

"I want to see enough breeze that we see a mistake or two again, because that's when you have passes."

Join us at 4:15pm Monday for more America's Cup racing between Team NZ and Luna Rossa