AC35: A nice 10-14 kts today, breezier 11-17 Saturday, unraceable 2-3 on Sunday

AFTER THE DISAPPOINTING PAST TWO DAYS, the conditions will be near perfect at race time today in BDA (1400-1630 ADT). Even more breeze tomorrow. There's no scheduled break after the Rounds Robin that end Saturday, after when one Challenger will be eliminated (presumably FRA but remains to be seen if JPN or SWE fall out instead), and the other four advance to the Playoffs scheduled to begin straightaway on Sunday. OTUSA as the Defender is done racing until the AC Match.

The Challenger Playoffs are best-of-nine (first to win five) semifinals then finals. The top challenger out of the Rounds Robin, presumably NZL, gets to choose their Playoff semifinal opponent. The remaining two are paired in the other semifinal. The Semifinal winners race off in the Playoff Finals.

The winner of the Challenger Playoffs races OTUSA for all the marbles in the AC Match which starts Saturday, June 17th, only two weeks from tomorrow, and is best-of-13 (first to win seven).

It's a very tight schedule that needs the wind to cooperate. They've already lost two race days in one week, and Sunday looks like another no go. A real challenge for Regatta Director Iain Murray and the teams to squeeze it all in. At least today should be fine....