Race Day One - Running commentary from Auckland

Here is our ongoing report - running commentary - from Auckland's Viaduct Basin on Race Day One of the Louis Vuitton Trophy.

1952 - The draw for tomorrow's boats and start line entry will be at 20:00 tonight.

1949 - ALEPH crosses the finish line for the win and a valuable point on the leaderboard.

1942 - ALEPH is around the top and makes a clean hoist. The French are just one leg away from gaining their first win.

1934 - ALEPH is away now. With the problem on the Russian boat for the spinnaker drop, ALEPH just needs to get around the race course to pick up the win. This is a good start to the regatta for the young French team, but disappointment on Synergy.

1930 -The French have made a nice gain by splitting away from the Russian team. As the boats approach the leeward gate, the Race Committee changes the course axis from 190 to 180. ALEPH is around the gate and elect to take the left hand, with Synergy in trouble on the spinnaker drop... The sail is in the water and under the boat.

1926 - ALEPH is starting to open up a bit of margin here now. They're sailing faster than the Russians here and making gains.

1924 - A gybe set attempt by both, but Synergy executes better. It was an 11-second delta at the top mark, but it will be less than that now. Synergy is just about overlapped to leeward now. 5-6 knots of southerly now.

1922 - Pace and his French team will lead around, as he puts the bow down to ease around the top mark. It's close - just a boat length ahead for the French over the Russian Synergy boat.

1919 - ALEPH has tacked in from the right now. This looks to be a close match. Both boats tack to port now. ALEPH is ahead and to leeward. If they can lay the mark, they'll lead around the top.

1917 - Beautiful light on the race course with the sun easing down in the sky. ALEPH is beginning to squeeze up towards Synergy, closing gauge. The Russians are forced to tack to the left.

1915 - Synergy happy in its lifting position on the right. Both boats tack to converge again now, ALEPH approaching on starboard tack from the right. Synergy has gained on this last split. Pace throws in a tack to try and protect the right, but Synergy looks like they'll live up to windward of the French.

1912 - ALEPH is on the right with Synergy coming in from the left on port tack. There's not much in this first cross as ALEPH tacks just in front, protecting the right hand side.

1910 - With just over one minute to the start, both boats are upwind of the starting line but dive quickly back down.Jablonski has Pace, the ALEPH helmsman in trouble just before the start. ALEPH is upwind of the line, but with both boats very slow, ALEPH recovers well.

1908 - A good dial-up here, in the light conditions, with ALEPH on the left and Synergy on the right. Jablonski on Synergy is in control of this start.

1905 - We're into the start sequence for the fourth match of the day as Principal Race Officer Peter Reggio uses the last of the light to get the day's schedule completed...

1840 - The Race Committee is going to try and get match four in before it gets dark. 19:00 is the proposed time for the warning signal.

1829 - One final gybe just before the finishing line for Emirates Team New Zealand. The gun fires and Barker can chalk up one point on the leaderboard.

1825 - TNZ gybes on the layline for the finish line. The Kiwis looking very safe now, using their local knowledge to make big gains in the light, shifty, and current-plagued conditions. This will be a good first win for the hometown heroes.

1821 - A gybe set for Artemis at the top mark. It's a slow process in the light conditions, and they trail by about 1:20 around the top.

1819 - It's turned into a big lead for ETNZ as they round the top mark. Artemis will be nearly a minute behind, but remember, they gained over 40 seconds on the first run. In these conditions, this race isn't over yet.

1816 - In the event, ETNZ crosses well ahead. But there's a small freighter coming through the race area now too, just to add more spice to an already tricky race.

1815 - The Kiwis tack in from the left side of the race course. There will be a cross here - eventually -but there is still big separation. Now the Kiwis are lifting and look to be strong as the boats converge.

1813 - ETNZ out to the very far left of the race course, looking to play the current to advantage. The wind is quite light. Kiwis are bow down, but if they tack that might turn into a favourable shift. Plenty of separation still.

1810 - Artemis tacks and comes in from the right hand side.The breeze looks soft where the Swedish boat is, but ETNZ has allowed them a ton of leverage. We'll find out who made the right call shortly.

1806 - A great run by Artemis. They've closed up the game significantly here. ETNZ heads out to the right, but tacks almost immediately. Artemis is just 12 seconds behind. The Kiwis heading left now, Artemis right.

1803 - The Swedish team is making some gains here. They've got the lead down near 100-metres. But the Kiwis are still sitting pretty on the first run.

1759 - It's getting ugly, with Emirates Team New Zealand leading around by 55-seconds. That's not a flattering delta for Artemis, but again, very shifty and tricky out there.

1756 - Very patchy and shifty winds now for this race. The Kiwis are near the port tack layline, and crossing well ahead of Artemis here. It's a big lead now for ETNZ, but conditions are very tricky on the harbour as the afternoon shifts to evening.

1753 - The Kiwis tack. It's first cross goes to ETNZ here and they're switching sides, heading out to the left, and conceeding the right to Artemis.

1752 - Both boats tack. Artemis is on the left, ETNZ on the right. With the shift, it now looks like Artemis with Terry Hutchinson on the helm, is near the port tack layline. The advantage line gives a small lead to ETNZ, but if Artemis is on layline, they are in a stronger position.

1749 -Both boats are holding on starboard tack, with ETNZ inside on the right and slightly ahead. But the advvantage line is coming back to Artemis now.

1745 - Both boats approach the starting line from the right hand side, with the Kiwis on the right, Artemis on the left. Plenty of separation before the start. Barker puts the bow down with 30 seconds to go, looking to build speed and squeeze in at the Committee boat. Artemis puts the bow down too to build pace and both boats hit the line at speed. Barker is to the right, both boats are on starboard tack and the early advantage line is giving 20 metres to ETNZ.

1743 - Into the dial up now, light conditions for this race, with the wind shifting nearly 180 degrees from what we had earlier. Artemis leads ETNZ, with the Kiwis pushing. The boats turn upwind with Barker and the Kiwis on the right, Artemis to the left.

1730 - Be sure to check out the video gallery, where there are interviews with Jochen Schuemann, Flavio Favini and Francesco Bruni.

1725 -The warning signal is scheduled for 1735, with a course axis of 190, which represents a massive shift. The wind is still in the 5-7 knot range.

1655 - There has been a wind shift on the race course area, and a bigger shift is expected, so there will be a delay before the third match - Emirates Team New Zealand against Artemis - gets underway. We'll let you know a start time as soon as we have it.

1652 - A win for Azzurra, who extended again over the final few minutes. A lot of passion and celebration on Azzurra. It's a big win for the Italians over a strong team. A 53-second margin at the finish line.

1649 - ORIGIN looks to have found a little puff out on the left side of the race course. They've cut the lead to 70-metres, but Azzurra have closed up the leverage, and are still in a powerful position.

1647 - The wind is getting lighter, but the Italians have done a very nice job of easing the boat around the race course so far this afternoon.

1643 - ORIGIN rounds 40-seconds back. And they're slow around the top mark again. Both times, Ainslie has had to come into the top mark on the starboard tack layline, making for a large, slow turn around the mark. They've lost time on both roundings.

1640 - Wow... a big lead now for the Italians, who haven't put a foot wrong in this match. They'll have a very comfortable margin around the top mark.

1636 - Bruni and Azzurra are in a powerful position here. They lead by about 90-metres and are holding a loose cover inside ORIGIN as the boats race up the second beat.

1632 - Azzurra throws in a final gybe directly ahead of ORIGIN. There's a course change, indicating a 10-degree shift. Azzurra leads through the gate and chooses the left hand side, while ORIGIN takes the right. But he's 40 seconds behind.

1627 - Azzurra is starting to extend its lead on the advantage line now - up to over 60-metres now - as the boats approach the leeward gate for the first time.

1625 - Azzurra has gybed now, and holds about a one length lead - 30 metres - with both boats on starboard gybe downwind.

1624 - The boats are splitting gybes downwind. The advantage line sits with Azzurra who played the action at the top mark to perfection. A nicely executed spinnaker hoist allowed them to put some speed on while ORIGIN was downspeed in a gybe set.

1622 - Ainslie control the action approaching the top mark. ORIGIN sails Azzurra past the mark before putting in a nice tack. Ainslie still luffing Bruni will above the top mark. Both boats bear away now, spinnakers go up and ORIGIN forced into a gybe set. A 6-second lead for ORIGIN around the top mark, but ORIGIN forced into a very downspeed gybe.

1620 - The come back at each other again. Azzurra is bow forward as Bruni sticks in a very close tack to leeward. Azzurra is ahead, but Ainslie and ORIGIN are inside approaching the top mark. Both boats will have to tack around the mark.

1618 - It's a close cross. Azzurra has to duck, ORIGIN falls off too. Azzurra tries to make a lee bow tack stick, and forces ORIGIN to tack off to the right. Nice match racing here.

1616 - The advantage line has shifted to ORIGIN. Ainslie now tacks, first cross coming up.

1614 - The advantage line is showing a close match. Azzurra is still slightly ahead, with the boats sailing 500 metres apart.

1612 - An early lead on the advantage line to Azzurra on the left, who tack. Both boats heading out to the right side of the race course on port tack.

1610 - Ben Ainslie, the helmsman on TEAMORIGIN, came in on starboard tack, with Francesco Bruni, at the helm on Azzurra in on port tack. Some cirlcing to windward of the start line after the dial up and TEAMORIGIN breaks off to circle around the Committee Boat. But Azzurra breaks inside, and leads back in downwind of the starting line. Azzurra on the left, ORIGIN on the right, both boats early towards the line, with Azzurraa pushing. ORIGIN tacks off for the right hand side, towards the Race Committee boat, while Azzurra makes its speed build to the left. BANG! Split tack start. Azzurra at the pin on the left, ORIGIN near the boat at the right...

1605 -TEAMORIGIN is into a dial-up with Azzurra, just into the five-minute sequence now.

1530 - Next up is TEAMORIGIN against Azzurra. This could be a great match between two of the semi-finalists from Nice.

1525 - ALL4ONE earn the first win of the Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland, beating Mascalzone Latino Audi Team by 44-seconds. There will be a break of approx 30 minutes before the next race.

1523 - ALL4ONE looking good on the final push to the finish with a 175-metre lead. The Race Committee advises they will look to start the second pair of boats near 16:00.

1517 - ALL4ONE's Seb Col eases the boat around the top mark with a handy lead of 32 seconds. On the run to the finish, ALL4ONE is in control here.

1510 - ALL4ONE is protecting the right-hand side of the race course, holding a loose cover on Mascalzone Latino Audi as the pair approaches the top mark.

1506 - Mascalzone Latino Audi Team trails through the leeward gate by 34 seconds. ALL4ONE rounds on port tack, taking the right hand side of the race course again, and Gavin Brady, the Kiwi helmsman on ML follows around.

1502 - Both boats make clean gybes and are heading down towards the leeward gate. The ALL4ONE team is leading by nearly 150-metres now.

1457 - It's a 19 second lead for ALL4ONE at the top mark. Both boats have clean hoists, and bear away sets.

1455 - ALL4ONE near the starboard tack layline now, and looking in a strong position to lead around the top mark by perhaps up to two boat lengths.

1452 -The boats are in a small tacking duel now, with ALL4ONE retaining the starboard tack advantage on the right hand side of the course and extending out to a 40-metre lead.

1448 -The advantage line was with ALL4ONE early off the starting line, but Mascalzone Latino Audi found a puff on the left to push its nose in front. ALL4ONE tacked, both boats streaking up the course on starboard tack...

1445 - Mascalzone Latino Audi was pushing ALL4ONE all the way to the line. ALL4ONE on the right, ML on the left. The boats take a split tack start, both hitting the line with speed, Italians on the left, Franco-German on the right.

1440 - We're into the first start sequence, with ALL4ONE coming into the start box from the right on starboard tack and Mascalzone Latino Audi Team crossing ahead on port tack - no dial up.

1429 - And again. Five more minutes added to the postponement. Warning signal at 14:35 now. Course axis is 345-degrees, with the wind still 5-7 knots.

14:22 -  A further five minutes under postponement. Warning signal at 14:30 now...

1415 - Racing is scheduled to start at 14:25 (NZL). The course axis is set on 340-degrees with each leg 1.2 miles long. The wind is now 6-7 knots.

1405 - Crews waiting for later races today are still ashore. Fred Brousse, aft grinder for ALEPH Racing Team said the French crew drew the fourth and last match today.  It is doubtful now if it will be sailed today. "This morning, after the sport session and the briefing, we used the free time to work on our own 'til 12.30pm," Brousse said. "We have been waiting since 1.00pm. Some of the crews went out to sea to see what  the weather was like; the others are waiting. We must remain focused on the race but it's clearly difficult to be focused all day long. However, we knew yesterday about the weather forecast. And remember that, when sailing, and especially when match-racing, waiting is very usual."

1355 - Mike Sanderson, managing director and crewman on board Great Britain's TEAMORIGIN, said they were preparing to head out to the racecourse, with TEAMORIGIN racing Azzurra in the second race. "There's a good chance we will be the ones packing the boats away tonight," he said. "We've been sitting around, telling jokes and eating. That's not so good for our TP52 programme... some of us aren't allow to eat anything at the moment. We used the first hours productively in a meeting until there was nothing more to say. We've been keeping things informal but on the tow-out we have to switch into race mode - that's where many teams get tripped up in this game."

1345 - The race committee boat has been searching for wind and is now off Takapuna Beach, outside the harbour entrance and reporting a light breeze coming from 015 degrees. They are hopeful of a race start in the next 30 minutes.

1245 - Still under postponement here in Auckland. But hopes are rising - slightly. The cloud is beginning to break up over the race course area, which may allow the sea breeze to begin to build.

1200 - The AP flag, signalling postponement, is still flying. Speaking from the committee boat at noon, PRO Peter Reggio saw no indication of a change in the glassy conditions on the water. "As long as the low cloud overhead persists, we'll be waiting for wind," he said.

1100 -  The race boats are drifting right now with sails down. The race committee is reporting an anticipated start at noon (2300GMT) but they are not optimistic.  Just a few minutes ago, Peter Reggio commented: "It looks like someone came out here last night and paved the Hauraki Gulf!"

1030 - Jochen Schuemann, skipper of ALL4ONE, speaks ahead of Race Day One. Watch the interview in our Video Gallery.

1000 - The first pair of crews - All4One and Mascalzone Latino Audi - left the docks ten minutes ago. Kiwi veteran John Cutler, tactician for the German/French team, said: "We're quite relaxed about the delay. We can't do anything about a lack of wind. It just gives us another hour to be more prepared for our first race."

0930 - PRO Peter "Luigi" Reggio has set out down the harbour to visit the race course, looking for the beginnings of today's sailing breeze.  He said: "I'm a little less enthusiastic than I was earlier because low cloud cover over the city will affect timing.  If the breeze comes in at 1100, it will still take a while to settle."

0830 - At the morning skipper's briefing, Emirates Team New Zealand weather expert Roger "Clouds" Badham explained the crews would have to wait while the early morning battle of the weak breezes played out in the convergence zone that blankets the race course.  As the land warms, he expects the best breeze of the day will be a northeaster funnelling down the Rangitoto Channel.

For tomorrow, Clouds is forecasting southwesterly flow that will strengthen into vigourous winds later in the week - winds that might be too strong to sail in.

0815 - Principal Race Officer Peter Reggio has just informed the teams that racing has been postponed for at least one hour, due to lack of wind. There will be no warning signal before 1100 NZL (2200 GMT).