The Emirates Team New Zealand Youth America’s Cup team, missed out on the cut for the top six semi-final after four dramatic races in Barcelona today.

The conditions for racing were perfect- flat water, 10-16 knots southerly breeze, but with little room for error for the young Kiwi crew of Leonard Takahashi, Seb Menzies, Oscar Gunn and Josh Armit who fought tooth and nail against the British Athena Pathway team and French Orient Express L’Oreal Youth Racing Team in all four races for the final qualifying spot.

It all came down to the final race for the three teams with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli &  NYYC American Magic already safely qualified. It was high octane racing where the slightest mistakes resulted in critical lost points that ultimately defined the standings. Emirates Team New Zealand missing the cut by finishing 5th in the final race having battled all the way around the course with the British who they needed to beat but claimed the final spot.

Group A Race 5

Game on now for the America’s Cup teams with four races coming up, and it’s a quick turnaround for the teams of under 15 minutes. At the start, it’s desperately close with five boats hitting it bang on time and too close to call as everyone hangs tough to the left boundary. On the first tack, GBR get a penalty for not giving room to the port tackers coming off the boundary and it’s tight at the top between France and Italy with USA in touch.

France look fast today and they lead around the first windward gate, closely followed by Italy and USA with NZ in fourth. British team now out of the back of the fleet. Down the first run, Italy put the pressure on France, attempting to roll them toward the middle of the course which the French are alive to and just stay ahead. America nails a brilliant starboard layline and gatecrash the starboard tack alignment of Italy and France to snatch second place. It’s Italy who benefitted from a poor final gybe by the French but it’s all very close.

Good tactics from the Italians who go boundary to boundary, coming in from the left to cover the fleet, followed by USA and these two are clear ahead. Italy clicks the wind phases in the final quarter and are bossing this battle to the final windward mark but USA gains, coming in from the left boundary and these two bear away at 43 knots for the final downwind leg.

USA gybe first and Italy cover hard. From nowhere, NZL come in from the left boundary having made a huge gain and overtake USA but a poor gybe undoes their effort and USA and France are quick to overtake. Italy wins and secures 10 points, USA confirm their overall standings in second with a second in this race and France take third - this is going to get very interesting for the podium places.

Group A Race 6

With the wind in at a solid 12-14 knots, the fleet again got away as a tight bunch with NZ down at the port end looking strong and France copping an OCS and a further penalty. USA start at the starboard end and look strong whilst Italy tack over to the right and go as far as they dare to the boundary. USA cross Italy over by the boundary on port tack and are then crossed closely by GBR who are given a penalty for being too close.

An all action beat finally ends with NZL nailing a brilliant starboard layline from the right boundary who bear-away just in the lead from Italy and USA. The Americans are the first to gybe away to the middle of the course from the left boundary, coming down at 40 knots with the Italians in tow on starboard gybe. NZL cop a penalty on the Italians for crossing on port gybe too close and Italy takes the lead.

A harem-scarem round up by Italy closes things down and NZL, having expended their penalty are pushing hard up the final beat up the left hand side. Italy though, stay true to form and hold the right, extending in a beautiful right shift in the first quarter. NZL start to show some real speed and are into second place again, closing in on the Italians with USA resolute in third.

At the final windward gate, Italy are just ahead, tacking on the bow of the port layline approaching NZL with USA in third who are again the first to gybe down the run, aiming for the middle right of the course. Italy and NZL cover each other and it’s hard to see any changes unless the final two gybes aren’t clean.

Sailing across to the starboard layline for the finish, Italy make no mistakes and cross at 40 knots+ to take the win ahead of NZL and USA. Crucially behind, France secure 4th and all the boats finished within 19 seconds of each other. Incredible.

Group A Race 7

Rinse and repeat for race seven in the series and with third place up for grabs when the cut comes at the end of the day, it’s all on for GBR, NZL and France. Another tight-packed start that sees a broach on the line by the Italians and near capsize but it’s France who have a glamour start at the port end of the line and make a brilliant cross of the oncoming starboard tackers after the first tack.

France leads a drag race to the far right boundary as the wind becks left, closely followed by USA and NZL. The French call a brilliant starboard layline and round the port marker just ahead of USA with GBR crossing behind on port tack and taking the starboard marker to split tactics. USA got loose on the downwind with a big touchdown after a hobby-horse to fall out of contention and back in the pack.

GBR are the big gainers of USA’s travails but have their own headache with NZL on their heels. At the final leeward gate, FRA are clear ahead, executing a stunning one-board rounding at the starboard marker to head left up the final beat. GBR and NZL fast round at the port marker and go right. Interesting tactics but as FRA cover, they are clear ahead and sailing brilliantly. The race is all for the other podium places and GBR go far left to make a big gain in the final quarter and overtake NZL and stay ahead of USA.

At the final windward gate, FRA round clear ahead of the fast-charging GBR who are now match-racing with NZL to the starboard marker and with NZL to leeward, it’s the Kiwis who gain and overtake right on the mark. The final run is key for GBR who are desperate to overtake NZL as both boats fly down towards the starboard layline to the finish.

A brilliant final gybe by the French on the port layline sees them secure the win but it’s disaster for GBR who splash down on their final gybe, allowing NZL to secure a safe second with the British in third. Crucial results in the overall standings. All on for the final race of the day.

Group A Race 8

Plenty of permutations here for the qualifying podium with all to play for. At the start, once again it’s tight but with some very different executions. ITA get a penalty for crossing GBR too close on port tack but it’s USA who get a clean start and lead the fleet. ITA wash off their penalty quickly and sneak up into second whilst France and GBR are match racing in the middle of the course.

A very tight pack, anyone can pop out and in the final quarter the Fremch were looking good until a fall off the foils and are left in catch-up mode. GBR benefit and get into third behind USA and ITA and these three round just ahead of NZL who are right on the tail of the British. France are forced to retire from the race and their chances of making the semi-final have evaporated leaving GBR and NZL to fight for the third spot on the podium.

GBR gybe cover NZL off the left boundary but NZL has speed and is doing everything to roll the British. Up front USA are comfortable in the lead as ITA splashdown and both GBR and NZL get into second and third spot. Two legs left and it’s war on the water between GBR and NZL. in the first quarter, GBR allow NZL to go left whilst they bounce off the right boundary and at the cross back, the British are looking good having made a few boat lengths.

This could all come down to manoeuvre execution now and at the final gate, USA bears-away at 42 knots in the lead after a killer starboard layline call from the right boundary. GBR made big gains from sailing smart up the middle of the course and are clear in second whilst ITA come through into third. A small splashdown from USA makes it desperately close as GBR go to the starboard layline and USA to the port layline.

USA just scores the win after a desoperate final gybe on the bow of GBR but it’s GBR who finish second right when it matters and make the Semi-Finals. Your Semi-Finalists are Italy, USA and Great Britain. What a day of racing.