America's Cup: Team NZ goes to match point
UPDATE: Race 12 aborted at the start because of excessive wind and postponed until Friday (NZ time).
Hot Topic
SCIENCE
UPDATE: A brilliant start by Emirates Team New Zealand in race 12 was foiled when officials suddenly aborted it due to excessive wind. Officials ordered a restart but then postponed the race until tomorrow (NZ time).
EARLIER (Race 11)
Emirates Team New Zealand is now only one win away from seizing the America’s Cup after race 11 sailed in San Francisco Bay.
The standings are now Team NZ eight and Oracle Team USA one in the best-to-nine series.
Team NZ grabbed the inside spot at the start and led to the final marker in conditions that suit its yacht best. A 100m lead was soon established as the yachts went against the tide in light winds of 17-18 knots.
Oracle clawed back the margin to 50m in the downward but Team NZ was still leading around the second marker with 5s to spare ahead of Oracle.
The race tightened as Team NZ held off Oracle in a tacking duel near where the New Zealand yacht nearly flipped on Sunday.
Team NZ held its advantage while leaving nothing to chance as the wind dropped and the margin over Oracle extended to 150m.
But Oracle bounced back into contention with only a boat length between the yachts as they rounded the top marker into the downward leg.
Team NZ was leading by 16s at the turn and put on a lead of 160m, extending it to 300m with the wind behind.
Oracle narrowed the margin with slightly faster boat toward the final marker but in the final sprint Team NZ won by 15s.
Nevil Gibson
Thu, 19 Sep 2013
Thu, 19 Sep 2013
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
America's Cup: Team NZ goes to match point
32420