Two in a row for NZ

Twenty-one years after their first successful defence, Emirates Team New Zealand did it again to keep the America’s Cup in Auckland, with a 7-3 win against a strong challenge from Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. The result confirmed New Zealand as the dominant force in the modern America’s Cup, the country having won the event four times since it first entered in 1987.

The 36th America’s Cup had everything – some of the most exciting and extraordinary races in Cup history, as well as some of the most nerve-jangling competition in light winds, as both teams desperately fought to keep their precarious AC75s on their foils.

In stronger winds the boats exceeded 45 knots, giving closing speeds of almost 90 knots as they crossed tacks up the race course.

Despite predictions to the contrary, both finalists were evenly matched and we were treated to some of the tightest racing of the modern era. Interestingly, there were significant