Weather works for Team NZ
The weather gods smiled on Team New Zealand in race 9 of the America’s Cup. In the tightest contest of the match thus far, a course split on the penultimate leg saw them find the better weather which they used to sail through to their sixth win of the best-of-13 series.
The race came down to the fifth leg, and a choice from Luna Rossa on which side of the course to control. They opted for the left, and Team New Zealand found the pressure they needed on the right.
It was almost an immediate payoff for the Kiwis who went on to sail across the finish line 30 seconds ahead of the Italians to move just one win from retaining their title.
It was a devastating way for things to unfold for Luna Rossa, who had sailed a perfect race up until that fifth leg and after crossing the finish line, co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill addressed his team with a simple “sorry, boys.”
The splits at every gate told the story of just how close the race was, with Luna Rossa leading the first four legs by less than 10 second margins, before the split in the fifth saw Team New Zealand take control with an 18-second lead at the fifth gate.
“It was a pretty tight race all in all and one right shift up that last beat really decided it for us,” Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling said after the race.
Yesterday’s racing was hampered by shifting winds at the scheduled start time. As this edition went to print, Race 10, the potential decider, had not been completed. Check www.nzherald.co.nz for updates.