Oracle scores first win as Team NZ goes three up in America's Cup
Hopes of an America's Cup whitewash have been dashed with Oracle Team USA posting its first race win.
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Hopes of an America’s Cup whitewash have been dashed with Oracle Team USA posting its first race win.
Oracle won the second of two races held today on San Francisco harbour in foggy conditions with a margin of 7.7 seconds, leaving it still four races behind due to starting the series down two points.
Emirates Team New Zealand won the first race comfortably by 28 seconds, even after being penalised just after the start and ordered into a go-slow.
New Zealand now officially lead the best-of-nine series by three points to Oracle’s minus one.
Racing resumes with two more races on Wednesday (NZ time) and further racing on Friday, Sunday and Monday.
The three wins out of four so far has boosted the big Kiwi supporters’ contingent hopes of winning back the Cup and the consequences of holding a defence in 2017.
The early series of wins has boosted the Cup’s profile with the event being screened live on breakfast TV and in commentaries in peak radio times.
Travel agents are reported to be handling more inquiries for travel to San Francisco.
Poll result on government funding: UPDATED
Reader indifference to the Cup – up until now – is reflected in the results to an NBR ONLINE poll on how much the government should contribute to any defence, in the event Team New Zealand win.
In the latest count, the number who oppose any government funding has dropped to about a quarter (36%) while 40% support funding up to $50 million and another 11% think $100 million is okay. Nine per cent support $10 million and 14% $20 million.
As usual the poll was open only to NBR ONLINE subscribers.
Nevil Gibson
Mon, 09 Sep 2013
Mon, 09 Sep 2013
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Oracle scores first win as Team NZ goes three up in America's Cup
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