New Zealand sailors win the America’s Cup for the third time in a row with force majeure

New Zealand sailors have won the America’s Cup for the third time in a row. Just one more race off the coast of Barcelona was needed on Saturday to win the 37th edition of the prestigious British sailing race.

With a score of 6-2, New Zealand started the ninth run at game point. It was enough to win seven final races.

The British, who were in the final for the first time in sixty years, had lost the first four races, but brought back the tension on Wednesday through the fifth and sixth races. to win. Yesterday, however, they received a big blow from the ‘Kiwis’, meaning that Britain’s hopes were already gone.

New Zealand also got off to a good start today. The British had to watch as the defending champion quickly took the lead again.

Towards the end of the race the British came dangerously close, but the New Zealanders made no mistakes and crossed the finish line 37 seconds faster.

New Zealand were not prepared to celebrate after yesterday’s double victory, even though the team was at the level of the game. That has everything to do with the national trauma of 2013, when Team New Zealand blew an 8-1 lead. America then came back from a beaten position and won 8-9.

It was only when the ‘Auld Mug’ had arrived that the sailors showed their euphoria off the coast of Barcelona. For captain Peter Burling it was his third victory in the America’s Cup; it was also there in 2017 and 2021.

Great British sailor Sir Ben Ainslie was delighted with his New Zealand opponent. “In my opinion, they are the best team ever. I am very happy that we have come this far. But in the end the best team won.”

For the British it was the first time since 1964 that they were in the final of the America’s Cup, the competition they invented 173 years ago and is held approximately once every four years.

In this prestigious sailing race, modern technologies mark the battle on the water. The boats are built to fly over the water, thanks to special hydrofoils.

That makes it an expensive sport and the result of teamwork on both sides. The British boat was built thanks to billionaire Jim Ratcliffe and with the help of the Mercedes Formula 1 team.