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FINAL
Placings: 1-Canada, 2-NZ, 3-Australia
Finish
Canada take thier first win on the series, with NZ next and Australia third. Still, a good result for the Kiwis, who are now in the Grand Final at San Francisco.
Sixth leg
Canada make up the ground and round the gate first...
Boundary penalty to Canada allows the Kiwis to snatch the lead. The race is theirs to lose.
Fifth leg
Canada regain the advantage, followed around the gate by NZ, who split away looking for better wind on the last leg.
Canada have given the lead away byt taking a wide berth of the midcourse no-go zone.
Fourth leg
Canada fall off their foils momentarily, but are back up quickly. NZ close at the gate, with Australia falling away.
Third leg
Canada lead around gate three, followed by the Kiwis, who split right. Australia follow Canada left.
Kiwis have cut into the Canada lead, with Australia back in the hunt, after their penalty.
NZ 100 metres behind Canada, Australia have a boundary penalty.
Second leg
Canada lead around the second gate, but NZ edges ahead of Australia.
Aussies turn first to the second gate and aggressive with the Canadians. NZ trailing.
First leg
In a line to the first gate, Canada round first, with NZ following the Aussies.
Start
Canada seem to be off their foils, Australia in the centre of the line and NZ coming with heat.
One minute until the start and only three boats circling, so less obstruction. Canada track the Aussies and NZ late to arrive at the party.
RACE TWO
Final standings: 1-NZ 45pts, 2-Australia 38pts, 3-Canada 36pts, 4-GB 35pts, 5-France 33pts, 6-USA 27pts, 7-Switzerland 23pts, 8-Denmark 17pts, 9-Spain 16pts
NZ, Australia and Canada move into the final.
Finish
Australia win, USA second, NZ third and the Canadians seal their spot in the final.
Sixth leg
Australia making every post a winner, USA in second and NZ third. The Swiss have a boundary penalty and GB and France have blown their chances.
Fifth leg
Australia clear at the front, USA holding second and NZ third. Canada still in a finals slot.
Right now, Australia and NZ are in the final, with Canada sitting third. USA move into second.
Fourth leg
Australia turn right through the fourth gate, NZ next, heading left, with USA and Canada next.
Aussies still dictating terms, but NZ closing fast down the right of the course.
Australia around the third gate first, USA take NZ on the turn for second, but they spilt in different directions.
France have fallen off their foils.
Third leg
Australia making the best progress down the course, but USA have worked their way into the lead momentarily. NZ still right up there, with Canada.
GB and France will struggle to make the final from here.
Second leg
Aussies lad, NZ fourth towards the second gate. Kiwis grab second around the mark, undercutting Switzerland.
France at the back of the fleet.
First leg
Australia, Spain and Switzerland the best start, but NZ steaming through the bottom of the fleet rounding first mark.
Start
USA are penalised relative to Switzerland at the start, while France may have damage.
Two minutes until the start and last chance for teams to make the regatta final. Most interest in the battle between France and Canada for the third spot right now, with Australia a point back.
RACE ONE
Placings: 1-Australia 10pts, 2-NZ 9pts, 3-France 8pts, 4-GB 7pts, 5-Spain 6pts, 6-Canada 5pts, 7-Denmark 4pts, 8-Switzerland 3pts, 9-USA 2pts
Overall: 1-NZ 37, 2-GB 30, 3-France & Canada 29, 5-Australia 28pts, 6-USA 18, 7-Switzerland 17pts, 8-Spain 14pts, 9-Denmark 14pts,
Finish
Australia win, NZ nip through on France for second and the French are penalised down the finish - that could prove costly.
Sixth leg
France beat NZ around the gate and head to the finish.
Australia making every post a winner, NZ still holding second from France. No sign of USA and Canada have been penalised back down the fleet.
Fifth leg
Australia ahead at the fifth gate, NZ and France playing chicken towards the line. Kiwis have right of way and France have to turn away.
Kiwis close on the Aussies and have right of way in a tight cross with France.
Australia 260 metres ahead of NZ, with France third and GB fourth... the big guns at the front.
Fourth leg
Aussies round the fourth gate first, NZ splitting at the gate dipping under the French for third. USA are penalised for nearly wiping out the Swiss.
Australia growing their lead over the Kiwis, France crossing behind NZ midcourse.
Third leg
Australia through gate three ahead, with France now in second. NZ dip under the French and head right, taking the French on the turn.
GB fourth, USA fifth.
The Aussies are trying to avoid patches of seaweed on the course. NZ slip back to fifth, as they head across the course.
NZ in sixth right now, Aussies heading the Americans, but the Kiwis move to fourth.
Second leg
Aussies still leading around the second gate, France and USA next. NZ follow GB around the right buoy, but still back in the field.
First leg
Australia, Denmark and USA ahead at the first gate, but NZ back in the fleet. They have been strong on the second leg throughout the weekend, so watch their run.
Start
Good start, with Australia and France getting the best starts.
One minute until the start and the Aussies have turned back towards the line first, NZ timing their run.
*****
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of NZ Sail Grand Prix at Lytelton Harbour, Christchurch.
Saturday's opening day of sailing produced a brilliant day out on the water and some close competition, with the Kiwis dominating to lead after three races, winning one and finishing second in the others.
Needing to head off France and Great Britain for a spot in the three-boat Grand Final at San Francisco in May, the home team has been assisted by the darkhose Canadians, who sit second at this event and have the potential to squeeze one of those contenders off the podium.
Two-time champions Australia have already clinched their Grand Final spot, but they suffered damage to their boat yesterday, tailing home last in the third race, so all eyes will be on their ability to get back on the water and influence the final pecking order.
Join us at 3:30pm for the first of two fleet races, before the three-boat regatta final.
Overall standings: 1-NZ 28pts, 2-Canada 24pts, 3-GB 23pts, 4-France 21pts, 5-Australia 18pts, 6-USA 16pts, 7-Switzerland 14pts, 8-Denmark 10pts, 9-Spain 8pts
TAB Odds: NZ $2.10, Canada $4, Great Britain $5, France $6, Australia $12, USA $51, Switzerland $81, Denmark $101, Spain $151
NZ dominate home waters to lead SailGP fleet on opening day at Lyttelton
Hometown hero Peter Burling has put New Zealand ahead of their nearest rivals, dominating the opening day of SailGP Christchurch.
With three spots in the world series grand final up for grabs and sitting in second on the overall standings, the home team show their full abilities on familiar Lyttelton Harbour waters, with one race victory and two seconds to lead the fleet.
Back in their own boat, after it was damaged at Singapore, the Kiwis showed their ability to move through the field quickly, without necessarily winning the starts. In the opening race, they lagged in seventh early, but rocketed into second on the second leg and held that position to the finish, behind France
The French and British posed the biggest threats to New Zealand entering the weekend, and those three teams filled the top positions in the opening gambit, but they began to struggle in the next race.
Both found themselves near the back of the pack midway through and while they both improved their positions, they were nowhere near the Kiwis at the end, losing valuable points.
"We've been struggling with the starts a tiny wee bit, finding it hard to get through the traffic at the leeward end, so it was great a good one and be second at mark one," said NZ driver Peter Burling.
"I think the whole team feels excited for today, and the boat feels nice and easy to sail. That makes you look good tactically as well."
New Zealand were in early trouble for race three, when they suffered a boundary penalty before the start and had to lag at the rear, but as he did in the opening race, Burling brought them through on the second leg.
Canada were probably the biggest surprise of the day, improving from fifth in the opening contest, into third for the second and then capturing the win in the third, heading off the Kiwis.
"We obviously had a really good comeback again and we feel like we're sailing the boat really well," said Burling.
"The forecast I was looking at had it a flick lighter than this [tomorrow], but I think it's pretty perfect, to be honest. It's perfect conditions."
Two-time defending champions Australia already have their spot booked in the Grand Final, but suffered damage to their boat and trailed home last in the third race.
Racing was held up several minutes at the start of the programme, after dolphins were sighted near the course and allowed to pass through unmolested.
