Peter Burling's Luna Rossa beats Team NZ in Sardinia

Peter Burling's Luna Rossa has beaten Emirates Team New Zealand in Sardinia, an early marker in one of sailing's more intriguing new rivalries.

Burling's switch away from Team New Zealand, after years as the helmsman at the centre of the country's America's Cup success, gave the result an edge that pure results tables do not capture.

The racing itself turned on starts and manoeuvres, where small advantages compound quickly in foiling boats. Luna Rossa held the crucial positions at the key moments.

Team New Zealand will take the loss as data rather than crisis at this stage of the cycle, with development, crew combinations and reliability all still being tested.

For New Zealand sailing followers, the sight of Burling racing against the syndicate he once led is a reminder of how much the sport's landscape has shifted.