When the gun finally went, Ericsson just misjudged it and had to re-round the pin. Early leader ABN AMRO ONE went hard left while the rest of the boats tacked over to the right. When they came to the first mark ABN AMRO ONE was leading by nearly two minutes from Brasil 1 with Pirates third.

Throughout the next two laps Brasil 1 takes distance out of ABN AMRO ONE in the lightening wind. Ericsson is making ground and takes ABN AMRO TWO when TWO snags a headsail batten on a hank and has to drop the sail, stopping dead. Ericsson then roll Brunel on the next lap, going into fourth.

At what turns out to be the last windward mark ABN AMRO ONE led Brasil 1 by only 12 seconds, but the leader tacked immediately and headed left while Brasil 1 and Pirates went right. The trailing two died in soft winds and ABN AMRO ONE went on to win by over three minutes in a day that was not their conditions.