(Reuters) – The New Zealand team won the 36th American Cup on Wednesday, defeating Luna Rossa 7-3 in the top row of 13 with a massive 46-second victory in race 10 off the coast of Auckland.
The TNZ defender won the ‘Auld Mug’, the oldest award in international sport, four years after defeating Oracle Team USA 7-1 at the 2017 game in Bermuda.
This was their fourth victory in the American Cup after winning in 1995, 2000 and 2017.
“It’s untrue. Seeing everyone involved over three or four years, how many Kiwis are out here supporting the campaign – messages from everyone, from the Prime Minister to high school kids, are it means the world to us, ”said TNZ director Peter Burling.
“We are lost in what we have achieved as an organization.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said TNZ had made the country proud.
“Team New Zealand has once again made us so proud to win the America’s Cup as the New Zealand cup,” Ardern said in a statement.
“We want to see it again in 2023. The government has already agreed to support the successful American Cup team to stay together while they plan their next defense of the Auld Mug. ”
Italy’s hopes of winning a sailing show event were dashed again in the country’s third American Cup match, after a 5-0 loss to TNZ in 2000 and 4-1 to the United States in 1992.
“We have an amazing experience, (we are) to congratulate TNZ on an admirable job,” said Francesco Bruni, Luna Rossa’s co-helms.
“Congratulations to Luna Rossa too, we proved to the world that we could do it and yes, it was a lot of luck in the last two days but we did a great job as a team. . ”
CHAN EIL MISTAKES
After a wild launch in race nine on Tuesday, the decision ended a march for the home yacht as TNZ’s forward pace left the Italians praying for an error from the defender.
There was no late turn, however, as TNZ went round the final gate 49 seconds before the opponent and then crossed the line in 26 minutes and eight seconds, triggering a party on cargo ships. -lookers and among fans who were full on the shore.
The team would pump their fists and embrace the yacht as Burling exploded his teammates with champagne.
This was TNZ’s fifth straight race win, after returning from 3-2 down after race five.
Race 10 was canceled twice while officers waited for favorable winds, but TNZ wasted little time in throwing down the gauntlet with a quick tack to the right just out of the gate. starting.
It was a testament to mastery when they carved out an early lead after the first mark and extended it to nine seconds coming into the third leg.
Luna Rossa had gone badly out of the second gate and TNZ’s lead blew out for 27 seconds to leave the Italians in need of an error from New Zealand.
But the home yacht called ‘Te Rehutai’ was four-five knots faster on the feet down and steady breezes were coming to an end.
“We got better and better in every race and today we just showed the speed of the boat, we sailed nicely and a great way to finish it,” said Blair Tuke. aircraft controller TNZ.
“We were delighted to get off to a great start, we were on the right side of the race line.
“From there we didn’t give them the chance.”
Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Edited by Peter Rutherford