America's Cup 2017: Great Britain face New Zealand in rearranged challenger play-offs

Britain dealt with the conditions well to beat Japan by 13 seconds in their first race of the day

Great Britain will face New Zealand in a rearranged America's Cup semi-final on Monday after a lack of wind caused Sunday's races to be postponed.

As the highest scoring challengers, second-placed New Zealand picked their opponents leaving Sweden to face Japan in the other play-off.

New Zealand said they chose Great Britain after studying the forecast.

"The winds simply didn't reach the required six knot strength," said regatta director Iain Murray.

"This is how it is sometimes in sailing. Here in Bermuda we have been spoilt for action so far, and today was just one of those days."

Team USA won the qualifying round with a crucial victory over New Zealand and take a one-point lead into the finals.

Holders USA advance automatically to the first-to-seven America's Cup matches - which begin on 17 June - and will have a bonus-point lead over their challengers.

The first team in each semi-final to win five races progresses to the challenger final for a chance to take on the American team.

Ben Ainslie said his Land Rover BAR team are facing "a real battle" against New Zealand but were "up for it".

Great Britain went into the final day of qualifying with an unassailable lead over bottom-of-the-table France knowing qualification was already guaranteed.

In their first race of the day, the British boat jumped Japan at the pre-start and then dealt well with the conditions to seal their fourth race win of the qualifiers before losing the final race to USA.

Elsewhere, Sweden comfortably beat France, who were eliminated on Friday - all but one of the six teams taking part in the qualifiers advanced to the play-offs.

Standings and how it works

• *Land Rover BAR (GB) started the round-robin qualifiers with two points and Oracle Team USA with one point after finishing first and second in the 2015-16 World Series

• Each team raced the other teams twice in this stage, gaining one point per victory, with the top four progressing

• Defending champions USA skip the next stage and advance automatically to the America's Cup matches. They take a bonus point with them after topping the qualifying group

Schedule

Monday, 5 June

Four semi-final races from 18:00-20:00 BST.

New Zealand v Great Britain - Race 1

Sweden v Japan - Race 1

New Zealand v Great Britain - Race 2

Sweden v Japan - Race 2

Full schedule

What happens next?

Holders Oracle Team USA await the winners of the challenger final in the America's Cup.

The first to seven points wins the America's Cup, or the Auld Mug as the trophy is known, with a possible 13 races to be sailed on 17-18 and 24-27 June.

The America's Cup, the oldest competition in international sport, was first raced in 1851 around the Isle of Wight and has only been won by four nations.