Tom Cruise thought it was just going to be a journey back to the jetty.

You could say it was a cruise for Cruise - Hollywood movie star Tom Cruise was a guest on Team NZ's hospitality boat as Aotearoa crushed Luna Rossa.

It had a serious undertone, but stand-in skipper Glenn Ashby and his Emirates Team New Zealand team-mates clearly enjoyed the change of routine.

Rotation was the order of the day on the water in the America's Cup as some emails reveal some of the political pressures at play on shore.

It'll be a comparatively quiet day on San Francisco Bay today - Emirates Team NZ will have a race against themselves and Artemis will have their first day off after three days' of successful sailing.

There will be something of a sense of what-could-have-been when 10 45-foot catamarans begin racing in September for the Red Bull Youth America's Cup.

The prevailing sentiment at this America's Cup is one of sadness, really.

Oracle Racing chief executive Sir Russell Coutts says the America's Cup racing will soon blossom into a compelling spectacle but believes the cup's current format - a four-yearly festival financed by billionaires - can't last.

Jonathan 'Jono' MacBeth has seen a few America's Cup races. A two-time Cup winner and five-time competitor, the Oracle grinder won it with the "big boat" challenge against Alinghi in 2010 and with Team New Zealand in 2000.

There was a defeated edge to Giles Scott's voice: "It's almost unfortunate that we are the only team that has to race them [Emirates Team New Zealand] in this America's Cup.

Emirates Team New Zealand have advanced to the final series of the Louis Vuitton Cup after another crushing victory over Luna Rossa this morning (NZT).

A decision whether a court injunction will stop the America's Cup, and Emirates Team New Zealand's promising march towards a showdown with holders Oracle.

New Zealand America's Cup boss Grant Dalton isn't sure whether Artemis will be ready for racing in the Louis Vuitton semifinals.

It took two weeks - but there was finally drama out on the water in the America's Cup racing when NZ's sail broke and was dumped in the drink.

The weather gods seem to be playing their part as Emirates Team NZ gear up for their third on-the-water clash against Luna Rossa today.

Glenn Ashby, Emirates Team New Zealand's wing trimmer, grinned. Yes, they'd gone faster than that. Quite a few times. No, he couldn't say how much faster.

It might be the Team New Zealand base now but, when the 34th America's Cup is done, the spot they occupy will become a US$1 billion ($1.26 billion) waterfront stadium.

The America's Cup Event Authority has launched a jury protest against Italian syndicate Luna Rossa for not showing up at a party, writes Paul Lewis.

Emirates Team NZ set a new speed record in their solo sail in the America's Cup today.

It could have been complete farce. Luna Rossa raced against themselves yesterday - but should not have won.

Ginny Fisher takes in the glittering Louis Vuitton gala and enjoys the glamorous side of sailing.

It now seems certain - Artemis will not be allowed special dispensation to use safety rudders in the 34th America's Cup.

The race is on in the America's Cup. It's just not happening on the water.

Perhaps the major revelation from the weekend's racing in the America's Cup was the upwind speed of Emirates Team New Zealand.

Kiwi sailor Craig Monk believes if Team NZ had been able to keep their foiling programme under wraps for a month longer, the America's Cup would be theirs.