Well it was about this time yesterday morning we were talking about the America’s Cup racing being a bit of a drag race, a bit boring, and saying that we wanted to see some action. And boy did we get action.

What an insane couple of races, what a difference a day makes.

Yesterday was true sporting excitement, the stuff of adrenaline, the stuff that makes competition what it is.

The twists and turns,  it was no drag race was it? We were seeing absolute scenes on the water, and even if you’re not a yachting or sailing aficionado, it was a thrill to watch. The determination, grit and drive of these sailors is something else – Burling, and Tuke, are world class, Jimmy Spithill,  a total fighter never willing to give up. They’re such great competitors.

But imagine being at the mercy of the wind like that. And at the behest of the boat.

In one shot on the TV when Luna Rossa was falling behind, the look on Jimmy Spithill’s face said it all. If he could will the boat to go faster he would’ve. But the whole race was a salient lesson in never giving up wasn’t it?

Emirates Team NZ, for all intents and purposes were losing that race, they were more than 2 kilometres behind Luna Rossa, and and then from nowhere, like a phoenix from the ashes, they rose up and took charge just as Luna Rossa got stuck,  it's the stuff of movie scripts. And it’s that kind of determination that makes elite athletes what they are isn’t it? That refusal to give up, picking yourselves up and going for it.

It was an extraordinary day and you couldn’t help but feel so excited not just for Team NZ and their well deserved wins, but for the crowds watching, who were truly gleeful. The elation erupting from that viaduct was palpable.

But for Burling at the end, a wee bit of emotion there, you could see he'd faced down a battle, what he did was nothing short of historic. They’re tough boats to sail, they’re tricky conditions, and one tack can make all the difference, and that’s part of what makes the race so gripping to watch in conditions like that – it can all change in a heartbeat.

But those grinders, the amount of work they’re doing is phenomenal, especially in lighter winds, they have to do so much more. They’re the engine room of the boat and the shots of the Team NZ grinders yesterday at the end.. they looked absolutely spent. I can’t even begin to imagine how much blood sweat and tears goes into that.

But all of these factors together, the conditions, the wind, the boats, the tactics.. the fragility of it all.. it’s what makes the whole thing so gripping to watch. It’s what grabs people, even the ones like me, who start off by saying oh it’s boring, it’s just a boat race. Well I think what yesterday taught us.. is that it’s so much more than that.