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Friday, 20 September 2013

USA Keep Hopes Alive

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Oracle Team USA stayed alive in the America's Cup after beating Team New Zealand in race 12 - the only completed race on Thursday.

Later in the day, Race 13 was postponed until Friday after winds exceeded the 20 knots limit in San Francisco bay.

The Kiwis lead 8-2 in the 17-race finals series and need to win only one more race to take the trophy.

Team USA, the defending champions, took Thursday's only race by a comfortable 31-second margin.

They won the start with a shrewd manoeuvre that pushed New Zealand away from the line, and then showed impressive speed on the critical upwind leg before dashing home for the victory.

The Kiwis turned in the latest of several textbook performances in moving to the brink of victory on Wednesday, and seemed to have beaten back an Oracle revival that saw the United States boat win two thrilling races over the weekend.

But Thursday's first race suggested the momentum could be shifting once again as Oracle showed the speed, tactics and boat handling it needs to match the polished Kiwi team.

"We have to finish this thing," said Ben Gordon, a New Zealander who lives in San Francisco. "The boat's are dead even and it's getting a bit dodgy."

There will be two races - if required - on Friday.

Wednesday's second race was also postponed because of a strong breeze and outgoing tide.

The AC72 catamarans can attain speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, but are hard to control and potentially subject to capsize and equipment failure in high winds.

The Kiwis are seeking their third America's Cup, having won in 1995 and in 2000.

Wednesday, 11 September 2013

Emirates NZ Take America's Lead

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Emirates Team New Zealand took a 4-1 stranglehold on the America's Cup with a resounding win over holders Oracle Team USA in race five in San Francisco.

The Kiwis won by a huge 65-second margin before the Americans played their joker to postpone race six.

The first team to nine wins will claim the 162-year-old trophy, but Oracle were penalised two points ahead of the regatta and are effectively minus one.

"We need to go back and regroup," said Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill.

"We feel they've got a bit of an edge on us, especially upwind."

Oracle incurred the penalty for illegally modifying their 45-foot catamaran in the event's warm-up series and must win 11 races to keep the Cup.

Team New Zealand dominated the event's first three races in the revolutionary 72ft catamarans, before Oracle hit back in race four on Sunday.

But, after a rest day, the Kiwis again impressed with their speed and boat handling and appear to have the Larry Ellison-bankrolled Oracle team rattled.

The Americans won the start and the sprint to the first mark and built a decent lead on the downwind leg to the second mark behind Alcatraz Island.

But a clumsy tack slowed down their boat and the Kiwis were able to sail past going back upwind towards the Golden Gate Bridge to win by more than a minute.

"It's a tough way to win races, but it's working for us," said New Zealand skipper Dean Barker. "We have plenty to work on, but it was encouraging to get back in the race."

Shortly before race six, Oracle announced they would be using their "provisional card" to call off racing for the day.

"We need to up our game," said Australian Spithill. "We're not going to hide from that. We're going to make sure we step up for the next one. It's a team decision."

Wednesday is a rest day so racing will resume on Thursday.

The winners of the event earn the right to choose the format and venue of the next America's Cup, the oldest trophy in international sport.