Team France have been eliminated from the America's Cup qualifiers on Friday after falling to New Zealand in Bermuda.
France, who as late challengers for the America's Cup were regarded as underdogs, face Sweden, headed by Australia's Nathan Outteridge, on Saturday.
But even if the French crew win that race, an inferior track record in the pre-event series means they cannot beat the other crews seeking to challenge Team USA, skippered by Australia's Jimmy Spithill and also boasting countryman Tom Slingsby.
Victory for New Zealand, their second during Friday's racing, put them ahead of the US defending champions in the qualifying races. As holders, Team USA will be in the final, regardless of how well they perform in the qualifiers.
Winds picked up from the gentle breezes which dominated the head-to-head racing on Thursday, allowing the 50-foot foiling catamarans to fly around the course.
In the first two races of the day, the New Zealand and Swedish crews dominated from start to finish, making few mistakes and giving their opponents little chance to pass.
"We were really happy with the start," Outteridge said in a televised interview following his crew's victory over Team USA.
New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling, his face smeared in a mask of white sun cream, looked relaxed as he got the better of Dean Barker, the skipper of Team Japan.
Team New Zealand, who have already qualified for the challengers' semi-final, are seeking to top the qualifying round robin event. Should they do so they would gain a bonus point for the America's Cup match against Oracle Team USA if they go the whole way through the competition.
Both crews reached speeds of more than 40 knots as they screeched around the natural race course, with the New Zealand team putting their revolutionary "cycling" sailors to work to provide the power needed to drive the boat's hydraulics.
