America’s Cup 2017 Finals: Day 4, New Zealand 6 vs Oracle 1


Video sent by TNZ , their report here. All images: ACEA / Sander van der Borch / Gilles Martin-Raget / Ricardo Pinto –  Press Conference by America’s Cup.-

Nothing to do against a better boat , less if you have Peter Burling & Glenn Ashby onboard. Add to this recipe for success that the kid managed to own Spithill on the second start today (aside winning almost all others) and it becomes a a mission impossible for Team Oracle USA.

Our assessment on foils was even more true today, of course it is the entire combo on systems and crews abilities, but when you have 100% airtime vs 93 , foils are doing their job good enough.

Oracle had better final speeds today, and finished the first race 11 seconds only behind New Zealand.
Today Burling went for a Classic Match Race coverage to secure a solid win in race 1.

Second race, it was Burling and his AC50 responding at will to hook a dead stopped Oracle boat coming out of a transition.  I will look for that footage, it is an impressive move and response from the Kiwi boat.

Burling owned Spithill in his own bully game today, and from there on it was another win for TNZ.

Not much to do, and if Oracle makes a comeback, it will be on 20knots days , tomorrow more light winds expected…. Miracle comeback  this time around would be even more crazy than last one.

Current Americas’s Cup 2017 Final Score:
Emirates Team New Zealand 6 (7) vs Oracle Team USA 1
Fnal continues tomorrow Monday June 26th.

TNZ needs only one more race to take the Cup home.

update: I’ve been reminded by sailor & reader Enrique Ortiz  on the need to recognize the work of Blair Tuke who is pedalling and trimming the key foils of TNZ AC50. Blair is Peter Burling’s partner on their  total domination campaign in the 49er.

Both also raced at Takapuna A-Class Worlds 2014. Tuke was second behind Ashby and ahead or Burling…!