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Damiani Italia has ended Team New Zealand's winning streak with an excellent race in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series on Thursday..
In the second race for the gold fleet boats the Kiwis forced the Italians to tack away and around the committe boat in the pre-start but it worked to the Italians advantage as they got back in time to grab the right hand side as the Kiwis seemed to make a late decision to go left.
Emirates Team New Zealand started on the left, Damiani came over the line very close to Kiwis but immediately tacked right and that favoured side worked again.
Damiani went slightly ahead, tacked across New Zealand and took control of the race.
Both teams tacked in a tight zigzag pattern through the first leg but Damiani held a one boat length lead.
They extended it to 40m lead by halfway down the first beat and tacked around the weather mark cleanly with an 11 second lead as Team New Zealand fought hard to stay close.
Downwind the tide was turning but Damiani held their nerve and extended the lead to 70 metres and then up to 110.
The Italians sailed a smart race throughout and did a good job of always protecting their lead.
At the second mark Vasco Vascotto had his boat 20 seconds ahead and gradually increased it to a 24 second lead by the top weather mark.
Team New Zealand lurked close at all times and tried a variety of distracting tactics but the Italians just sat and protected their lead safely throughout.
At the line Damiani Italia won by 15 seconds and Team New Zealand, like TeamOrigin earlier in the day, lost their first races of this regatta.
