Burling not bothered

Team NZ helmsman takes inspiration from starting the finals series at minus one point.

Team New Zealand have found a way to draw some comfort from Oracle Team USA’s incredible comeback in San Francisco four years ago.

The Kiwi syndicate have a chance to avenge their heartbreaking 9-8 loss to Oracle when they face Jimmy Spithill’s team once again for yachting’s most prestigious prize in Bermuda over the coming weeks.

Emirates Team New Zealand start the Cup match at an immediate disadvantage. Oracle carry through a point after topping the qualifying series. It was the first time in America’s Cup history the defender has taken part in the challenger series.

Rather than the point being applied to Oracle’s scorecard, Team NZ will start at minus one, meaning they will have to win eight races to take out the first-to-seven series and get their hands on the Auld Mug for the first time since it departed New Zealand in 2003.

Asked how big a hurdle it is for the team to come to the match being down a point, Team NZ helmsman Peter Burling said if history is anything to go by, it shouldn’t matter at all.

“It didn’t seem to matter too much when [Oracle] went into the last Cup a couple of points down, and I don’t imagine it will matter too much this time. It’s all about who wins the last race, not the first one. That’s what we’re setting up to do,” Burling said.

Oracle started their last Cup defence in San Francisco at minus two due to a penalty handed down by the international jury after they were found to have cheated during the World Series circuit events.

The Kiwi team appeared well on their way to punishing Oracle further when they raced out to an 8-1 lead in the 2013 match, which was a firstto-nine series, before the US team masterminded a stunning comefrom-behind Auld Mug.

Despite having a head start on his opponents in the match, Spithill claimed Team NZ will have the advantage of having come through a highly competitive challenger finals.

“I think it’s an advantage for the challenger, for sure. As athletes, there’s nothing like real competition, but that’s the game we play. We know that going into it,” he said.

But the 37-year-old Australian, who is chasing a “three-peat” in Bermuda, believes his team have put the 10-day break in between the round-robin of the qualifiers and today’s opening race to good use.

“We’ve obviously been watching and learning from these guys as they’ve been out there, we’ve tried a lot of different stuff on the boat and techniques in sailing, so for us too, it’s been a great period.”

Spithill said he was excited by the racing in the challenger finals.

“The racing has been tough. I think it has exceeded all our expectations but, man, I think we’re going to see it go to another level.”

● victory to retain the

Dana Johannsen travelled to Bermuda thanks to Emirates Airline.