Welcome to live updates of the final day of the 34th America's Cup regatta. I'm Cameron McMillan and I'll be providing updates of what should be a dramatic sporting event. Oracle Team USA sit in the box seat after coming back from 8-1 down to level the scores at 8-8. Not it's sudden death for both teams.
Dana reports: A breeze up around the wind limit of 24.4 knots is forecast for around the 1.15pm start time in San Francisco (8.15am NZT), but Murray said conditions throughout the morning have been calmed than expected.
"I looked out the window and hour ago and I was very concerned, I look out the window before I walked over here and I am very happy because the breeze has died down," he said
"We were in a similar position yesterday, we were right on the wind limit about an hour before the start and then the breeze died six knots."
"There's some confidence in the air that we'll get away on time."
The strong breeze is not good news for Team New Zealand who have struggled to match Oracle for speed in the heavier air - Dana Johannsen reports.
Dana Johannsen lists eight steps to glory for Team NZ
1. Team NZ ditch their "it's just another race" mantra - that doesn't seem to have worked for them so far. Jimmy Spithill's "we stare down the barrel and smile back" approach appears to be much more effective.
2. Whatever Team NZ have done to annoy Mother Nature, they need to make amends - fast. Team NZ need her to come through for them today with 16-18 knots of stable breeze, which seems to be Aotearoa's sweet spot where it can at least match USA-17 for speed.
3. Get their weather forecasting and data spot on and ensure their boat is optimised to the right conditions.
4. Hope Sir Charles Benedict Ainslie forgets his armour and sword when he turns up to the race course
5. Nail the start. Yes, it didn't seem to make a jot of difference in Race 18, but if they are to have a chance in today's race, they need to win the start and put Oracle under pressure early by converting it into a healthy advantage by the bottom mark.
6. Hang on for dear life up that painfully long beat. Oracle will be looking for opportunities to foil upwind to give them good bursts of speed. Team NZ's tactics need to be spot on.
7. Get around the rest of the course error free - their crew-work needs to be sharp to minimise the speed loss in the gybes and ensure Oracle are not given any late opportunities to put them under pressure.
Welcome to live updates of the final day of the 34th America's Cup regatta. I'm Cameron McMillan and I'll be providing updates of what should be a dramatic sporting event. Oracle Team USA sit in the box seat after coming back from 8-1 down to level the scores at 8-8. Not it's sudden death for both teams.
by Shayne Currie via twitter 9/25/2013 7:42:15 PM
TIM ~30 min to start of the final race, conditions perfect, Wind 270 at 19.0 kts, 22.0 kts peak. Limit 24.4 kts.by America's Cup Racing via twitter 9/25/2013 7:45:00 PM
America's Cup: Strong winds set for decider @djohannsennzh previews the final race, which looks set to go ahead. nzh.tw/11130256by nzherald Sport via twitter 9/25/2013 7:45:11 PM
There has been no gear breakage in the entire America's Cup match...just sayin'...by Paul Lewis via twitter 9/25/2013 7:49:31 PM
by Dana Johannsen via twitter 9/25/2013 7:50:34 PM