America's Cup 2021 - Team New Zealand wrap up 7-3 victory over challenger Luna Rossa
ByReuters
Published 17/03/2021 at 08:47 GMT
The reigning champions successfully defended the world's oldest trophy in international sport, beating Italian challengers Luna Rossa, who earned their spot in the final by beating Sir Ben Ainslie's Ineos Team UK. The comfortable victory was celebrated on home waters, off the coast of Auckland.
Team New Zealand celebrate retaining the America's Cup
Image credit: Getty Images
Team New Zealand won the 36th America's Cup on Wednesday, wrapping up a 7-3 victory over challenger Luna Rossa to savour a triumphant defence of the 'Auld Mug' in home waters off the coast of Auckland.
The final race 10 ended up a victory lap for the hosts as they notched their fifth race win in succession, the peerless 'Te Rehutai' yacht roaring to a 46-second win to trigger partying on spectator yachts and among crowds on the foreshore.
TNZ helmsman Peter Burling soaked up his second America's Cup triumph, having reclaimed sport's oldest international trophy with a 7-1 win over Oracle Team USA at the 2017 match in Bermuda.
The 30-year-old Olympic champion sprayed his team mates with champagne as they celebrated on deck after delivering the country its fourth America's Cup.
"It's unreal. Seeing all the people involved over three-four years, how many Kiwis out here supporting the campaign -- messages from everyone, from the Prime Minister to high school kids, it means the world to us," said Burling.
"We're blown away by what we've achieved as a group."
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wasted little time pledging the government's commitment to another defence.
"Team New Zealand has once again made us all so proud by retaining the America’s Cup as New Zealand’s cup,” Ardern said in a statement.
"We want to see it all over again in 2023."
A fleet of yachts escorted TNZ back to shore as foghorns blared and thousands of fans cheered on Auckland's sunbathed Viaduct Harbour.
Beaten 5-0 by TNZ in 2000 and 4-1 by the United States in 1992, Luna Rossa fought bravely for much of the best-of-13 series and secured Italy's best result in its third America's Cup match.
But up against a faster boat, errors in tactics and execution proved decisive as they gave up a 3-2 lead.
Luna Rossa co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill lost a second successive America's Cup to TNZ, having broken New Zealand hearts in the 2013 match by captaining Oracle Team USA to eight successive race wins for a 9-8 victory in San Francisco.
"Obviously, pretty disappointed," said the Australian.
"I felt like we could have won a few more races against the Kiwis, but to be quite honest, at times it felt we were taking a knife to a gunfight.
"They did an incredible job, developed an incredible tool and package there ... All you can do is tip your hat."
There are reports that Team New Zealand's next title defence could be against Sir Ben Ainslie's Team Ineos UK in a race around the Isle of Wight, where the competition first started.
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