The Borneo Post (Sabah)

USA eye epic comeback against dominant New Zealand

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HAMILTON (Bermuda): Oracle Team USA need another epic turnaround to thwart a young, hungry Emirates Team New Zealand in the 35th America’s Cup that resumes Saturday on Bermuda’s Great Sound.

The US team, backed by tech billionair­e Larry Ellison erased a 1-8 deficit four years ago to stun New Zealand 9-8 in San Francisco.

Vying to win yachting’s most prestigiou­s trophy for a third straight time, they trail 0-3 in the first-to-seven points series -- with all the indicators seemingly in the Kiwis’ favor.

“Four years ago it was a miracle,” said Franck Cammas, skipper of vanquished challenger Groupama Team France. “Miracles rarely occur twice in a row.”

With their backs against the wall four years ago, Team USA used a lay day to hone their sailing technique and finally managed to get the most out of their 72-foot AC catamaran.

This time around, experts say the superior speed shown so far by New Zealand will be difficult, if not impossible for the USA to counter.

“The Americans will never have an advantage in pure speed as they ended up with in San Francisco in the final races,” Cammas said.

Instead the defenders will be relying on the guile of skipper Jimmy Spithill, the pugnacious Australian who brought them back from the brink last time.

Spithill was widely reckoned to have the advantage over young Kiwi helmsman Peter Burling, a seven-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist in the 49er class in Rio last year who despite his credential­s came in with far less match racing experience.

Burling, however, has honed his skills over the course of challenger qualifying.

His steely resolve was evident when he shook off a frightenin­g capsize to send British sailing icon Ben Ainslie packing in the challenger semi-finals before beating Sweden’s Artemis Racing in the final.

And it was Spithill, not the unflappabl­e Burling, who blinked first, incurring a penalty when he crossed the startline early in the opening race to hand New Zealand the advantage. - AFP

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