Shifty winds and strong tides on Auckland's Waitemata harbour tested the teams competing in the opening day of the Auckland Match Racing Regatta and produced a results board that defied any form guide.
Spectators were treated to extremely close racing, with spectacular luffing duels, tight finishes, penalties and collisions as teams fought for ascendancy.
At the end of a full day's racing, Ben Ainslie of Great Britain topped the leaderboard with a 6-2 score while New Zealanders Dean Barker and Adam Minoprio and Bertrand Pace of France were on 5-3 each.
America's Cup veteran Bertrand Pace says the level is very high, everybody can beat everybody else.
Barker won the tightest match of the day, coming from behind to beat Sebastien Col of France by just 1 second. The biggest margin of the day saw Ben Ainslie of Great Britain defeat Bertand Pace of France by 1 min 31 secs after a fiery match in which Pace was penalised twice during a fierce luffing match.
