There was a surprising event at the 35th America’s Cup today!
Day three of the America’s Cup Match, presented by Louis Vuitton, was full of drama, incident and history-making action, but the big story of the day is the fightback ORACLE TEAM USA staged against their rivals for the Auld Mug, Emirates Team New Zealand.
The US Defenders of the America’s Cup found themselves 3-0 down to their Kiwi rivals after the first four races of the final stage of the 35th America’s Cup. However, from the start of race five, the first race of day three of the America’s Cup Match, presented by Louis Vuitton, it was clear that ORACLE TEAM USA had found significant boat speed since the two teams last raced on Sunday 18th June.
Race five went to Emirates Team New Zealand, who took full advantage of mistakes made on the US boat to put themselves 4-0 up, but in race six the tables finally turned, ORACLE TEAM USA winning their first race of the America’s Cup Match, presented by Louis Vuitton. With that victory, Skipper Jimmy Spithill made more history, tying Sir Russell Coutts’ winning record in America’s Cup Match races, recording his 14th victory, the same as Coutts.
That win means that the 35th America’s Cup will continue into Monday 26th June as neither team can reach the seven points needed to win the 35th America’s Cup in the two races scheduled on Sunday 24th June.
However, the win also signifies that the clear advantage Emirates Team New Zealand had over their US rivals in the opening weekend of the America’s Cup Match, presented by Louis Vuitton has gone, and that means world-class, exciting racing is guaranteed in the remaining head-to-heads between the two teams fighting for the oldest trophy in international sport.
…and it’s an open thread.
