Live updates: America's Cup - Emirates Team NZ v Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, Races 7 & 8 (Day 2)

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5:59pm - Two wins tomorrow would see Team NZ defend the America's Cup. Join us at 4:15pm for live updates, as the Kiwis try to build on today's success.

Race 8

Emirates Team NZ v Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Team NZ win by 3m 55s, lead series 5-3

Finish - Team NZ go wide right to maintain speed in that tack and nail it.

They cross the line to win a dramatic race that swung one way and then the other, now leading the series 5-3.

Luna Rossa finish 3m 55s behind and must now regroup to keep this contest alive tomorrow. That's got to be gutting!

Fifth leg - Team NZ need to maintain 25 knots to effectively tack on their foils - they're at 31 right now.

The advantage is coming down, but still easily controllable. That margin is irrelevant - if Team NZ can stay on their foils, they will win, but if they don't, it could still turn to custard.

Luna Rossa now just 2km behind - if 'just' is the right word and - round the bottom mark 4m 6s behind. 

That lead continues to come down, but Team NZ are only a couple of tacks away from the finish.

Team NZ within 600m of victory, just under 2km ahead, but here comes the crucial tack...

Fourth leg - Now Luna Rossa are mowing the lawn, just trying to generate enough speed to get back on their foils. Team NZ closing fast... but race committe has shortened the race to five legs. 

Italy have incurred a boundary penalty - it's cleared.

The Kiwis have continued to foil upwind and are now arriving at the top gate, while their rivals continue to sail backwards and forwards on the spot.

Team NZ round the mark 4m 27s behind.... and they stay on their foils and take the lead. Wow!

This race could still go either way, if NZ fall off again, but Luna Rossa have another boundary penalty.

The Kiwis are now racing away... 800m ahead.

They're sailing at 33 knots downwind, well down on what they've managed in previous races, but their advantage is growing by the second.

The lead is now 1.5km.

Italy have another boundary penalty, Team NZ now 2km ahead, but Luna Rossa are back up on their foils. This isn't over yet.

Both boats are at 30 knots now.

Team NZ round the bottom mark and head upwind towards the revised finish. At some point, they will hit that soft air again...

Third leg - The boats pass close, with Team NZ still completing the second leg. They pass safely.

The Kiwis finally arrive at the bottom gate 4m 8s, which is about 1.7km on the water.

The wind is still soft at the other end of the course and Luna Rossa must still stay on their foils...

Italy tack left and stay up, but they'll need another before reaching the top gate.

They tack again and touch down - this is the chance Team NZ needed!

NZ achieving 28 knots upwind, Italy eight, but they're now floating around the top gate - the lead is down to 1.4km.

Second leg - Both boats head left, but jibe at the same time to head right.

Luna Rossa are 170m up and the difference is coming down as Team NZ hug the left boundary.

Team NZ are jibing back and forwards and make up ground.... but fall off their foils and that's the race right there!

The margin is 600m and growing fast. The Kiwis are dead in the water.

Conditions have become very fickle and there's a chance Italy could still fall off too.

Team NZ are mowing the lawn, trying to get back up on their foils, but they're now 2km behind.

Italy heading for the bottom gate now and only need to stay up to win.

Team NZ are back up and travelling at 35 knots, but their only hope is for Luna Rossa to also fall off their foils.

First leg - Luna Rossa get their noses in front and force the Kiwis to tack away right.

Luna Rossa have a 100m lead, but tack from the right boundary. As the boats head back together, the margin is 70m.

Team NZ continue left and Luna Rossa right, as the margin continues to shrink.

They actually take a lead of a few metres, but arrive at the boundary and have to tack back. Italy grab an immediate 100m lead.

Both boats sailing right, 150m apart, Luna Rossa ahead.

They reach the right boundary and tack left, NZ first.

Both heading to the left, but Luna Rossa may be laying for the top mark...

No, both will have to tack again, Italy lead around the right mark and Team NZ follow 16 seconds behind.

Start - Now is the time for Team NZ to go for jugular and become the first crew to wins consecutive races in this series.

They will have the favoured port entry for today's second race.

The course has been rotated to match a lefthand wind shift in that last race. Neither team seem to have changed their jibs from the first contest, but the wind may drop for this one and Italy may retake the advantage.

Race committee has given the all-clear to race.

Team NZ are in the start box, Luna Rossa enter from starboard and turn to follow the Kiwis towards the right boundary.

The Italians could not turn as quickly as they liked and NZ have undercut them in their turn back towards the line.

Both boats early for the line and have to kill time.

They hit the line together and start the sprint...

4:44pm - Next race is scheduled for 5:15pm.

Race 7

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli v Emirates Team NZ

Team NZ win, lead series 4-3

Finish - Team NZ will actually need one jibe to make the finish, but they're almost there.

They win - that could be the gamechanger!

Luna Rossa follow 58 seconds behind, the victim of this series' first actual pass. They will undoubtedly change their sail for the next race.

Sixth leg - That lead is stretching and the Italians must now wonder if this is the turning point of this match...

They're now 48 seconds down and the Kiwis seeming to be heading straight down the course, already laying the finish line.

The margin is now over 800m on the water...

Fifth leg - The Kiwis continue down the left side and tack back, Luna Rossa headed right from the gate and trail by 370m.

Team NZ simply using a different sail to Luna Rossa and picked the right one for the wind conditions.

NZ sailing at 34 knots, Italy at 31 knots.

That margin is now 500m and growing...

Both boats heading to the left, Team NZ still 550m up, but Luna Rossa tack right.

Team NZ arrive at the top gate for the last time and round the right mark, turning for home...

Fourth leg - Team NZ smoking the Italians downwind, with a 340m lead now.

Team NZ achieving 42 knots, about 3-4 more than the Italians, who are quiet on board their yacht.

Team NZ arrive at the right boundary and jibe back across the course, Luna Rossa arriving at that boundary now and follow, 350m back.

The Kiwis arrive at the bottom gate and round the right mark with a 29-second advantage.

Third leg - Luna Rosa continue a wide left track, while Team NZ tack sharply to the right and make up ground.

The Kiwis have actually taken the lead - that's the latest lead change we've had in this series so far - but as they tack right, they lose that advantage.

Luna Rossa are forced to tack too and the Kiwis keep their noses in front - finally, a real race!

Now NZ control the race and are building a 100m lead upwind. Remember, the Italians have been strong into the wind, with their more nibbleboat and tacking ability.

NZ have a different sail today, which has made a big difference.

They lead to the right layline and around the top mark, building a 19-second advantage.

Second leg - NZ are generally faster downwind and now don't have to live in bad air. Can they make up this deficit?

The Kiwis are now within 50m and heading right. Italy are actually holding and, if anything, extending here - they seem better downwind today.

Team NZ have jibed left, trailling by 130m now. They're laying for the bottom mark from a long way out.

Italy still lead at the bottom gate and have extended their lead to 10 seconds - win to Luna Rossa.

First leg - Italy over the top of NZ and forcing them into the left boundary, before tacking away. The Kiwis protested the start, but no penalty.

Luna Rossa tack away and have built a 100m lead already. It's going to be tough for the Kiwis to come back from here - already.

The Italians shadowing the Kiwis with a shrinking lead, as both boats head right. Team NZ seem to be living in bad air right now and making up ground.

Team NZ tack away and are just 60m behind now. Luna Rossa tack to cover, but that margin is not growing.

Both boats laying for the top gate, with Italy ahead and heading to the right mark. They round first, but only eight seconds up.

Start - Boats now preparing for the pre-start, with Luna Rossa due to enter the start box first from the favoured port end.

Race committee has completed its wind sampling and declared the race live - we're all go.

Italy steaming into the box at 40 knots, Team NZ following from starboard and immediately tack to follow Luna Rossa towards the right boundary - standard start practise.

NZ are jibing with Luna Rossa and have cut them off the start-line - good position.

Both boats in slow mode, trying to burn off time before the start.

Both boats strayed over the line, but have come back and hit the line together, NZ to port.

3:33pm - Out on Course E, the wind has reached 12 knots - more than enough to ensure we get sailing today.

*****

Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the America's Cup series between Emirates Team NZ and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli off Auckland.

The rivals are still deadlocked at 3-3, after light winds made racing impossible out on the Hauraki Gulf. Needing an average minimum of 6.5 knots on the racecourse, the breeze was never consistent enough for even one race to start during the 4-6pm racing window.

The spectators didn't seem to mind - it was still a gorgeous day on the water - and the teams probably appreciated an unscheduled rest day in the midst of an intense contest.

Hopefully, today will be more fruitful and signs are that the winds will be far better for sailing out on the 'back paddock' at Course E, the southernmost track off the coast of Beachlands and Maraetai.

Northeasterly winds of 11-13 knots produced conditions more akin to those we saw on the opening day of the match last Wednesday.

Yesterday's non-result means the earliest the first-to-seven series can finish is Tuesday - if one team sweeps the next four races.

But if we continue the trend of split results over the first three days - and no more days are lost due to weather - we could still be here Thursday.

First race is due to start at 4:15pm.

TAB odds: Team NZ $1.50, Luna Rossa $2.45