Team NZ wins seventh race in America's Cup

Emirates Team NZ turned the tables on Oracle Team USA to win race 10 of the America’s Cup sailed on San Francisco harbour this morning.

An exciting day’s racing left the series at New Zealand 7 and Oracle 1 in the best-of nine series.

Team NZ seized the initiative at the start, beating Oracle Team USA to gain the leeward position in the race to the first marker.

Team NZ held its position in a fast upwind first leg against the current, hitting 40 knots at times and had a lead of 130m heading to the second marker.

At gate 2, Team NZ held an 11s advantage, or more than 200m, as Oracle appeared to lose momentum ahead of tacking duel.

Oracle clawed back Team NZ’s lead to take the lead at two thirds up the leg.

But near the top mark, Oracle dipped briefly, allowing the New Zealanders to go ahead again at the third marker but with Oracle eliminating the lead to less than a second at the turn.

Team NZ sped up in the final leg and kept its advantage to the finish, winning by 17s. Commentators say the New Zealand performs better in the lighter conditions during the second race.

Races 11 and 12 will be held on Wednesday morning (NZ time).
 

EARLIER RACE

A speedy Oracle Team USA lead from start to finish in race nine.

In a superb performance compared with its earlier showings, Oracle burned off Emirates Team NZ, which failed to fire in steady winds of around 18 knots.

The win is Oracle’s third but gives it its first positive point after eliminating a two-point penalty for cheating before the series started. 

Oracle blasted ahead at the start and gained the favoured inward position to hit the first marker 4s ahead of Emirates Team NZ going into the downward leg.

Two-thirds of the way down the leg, the speedier Oracle extended its lead to 150m and had the advantage going into the turn with a 170m margin.

Around gate 2, Team NZ was 18s behind going into the upwind leg with Oracle on starboard and still increasing its margin with speeds in excess of 30 knots.

Oracle’s lead stretched to 200m at the third and top marker of the course, pushing its lead to 33s.

Halfway down the fourth and final leg, Oracle was 750m ahead with Team NZ showing no sign of catching up. The winning margin was 47s.