America's Cup: Oracle Team USA wins, completes remarkable comeback to win series 9-8

Updated

Oracle Team USA has completed possibly the greatest comeback in sporting history, taking the America's Cup series 9-8.

Race Winner Margin 1 Team NZ 36 secs 2 Team NZ 52 secs 3 Team NZ 28 secs 4 Team USA 8 secs 5 Team NZ 1 min, 5 secs 6 Team NZ 47 secs 7 Team NZ 1 min, 6 secs 8 Team USA 52 secs 9 Team USA 47 secs 10 Team NZ 17 secs 11 Team NZ 15 secs 12 Team USA 31 secs 13 Team USA 1 min, 24 secs 14 Team USA 23 secs 15 Team USA 37 secs 16 Team USA 33 secs 17 Team USA 27 secs 18 Team USA 54 secs 19 Team USA 44 secs

*Team USA forced to win 11 races to reach necessary nine points after being docked two points for cheating *Team USA forced to win 11 races to reach necessary nine points after being docked two points for cheating

The defending champions were down 8-1 to Emirates Team New Zealand before winning eight consecutive races to retain the Cup.

Early on in race 19 it looked as though the Kiwis would avoid being on the wrong side of history.

They had the advantage after the first mark after Oracle dug in its pontoon, losing speed and time in the process.

The Cup holders took the lead after the second marker.

They briefly relinquishing it back to the challenger but, as has been the case for the last eight races of the series, the champions had the advantage for the vast majority of race 19.

At gate three Oracle was making record time, leaving Team New Zealand 26 seconds in arrears. The American team eventually crossing the line 44 seconds in front.

For the eighth-straight race, celebrations kicked off on the dual hulls of the lightning-fast AC72 catamaran.

Team USA's Australian skipper Jimmy Spithill said the race was further evidence of the team's resilience.

"Man oh man, what a race," he said.

"It was a fantastic race. We wouldn't have done it any other way.

"To come from behind, man these guys just showed so much heart."

He said he took inspiration from Australia II's famous victory 30 years ago.

Team USA in another class

Team USA was forced to win 11 races to get the nine points needed for victory after they were docked two points for cheating.

Team New Zealand looked to have an unassailable lead when they won race 11 to lead the series 8-1.

And not many people believed Spithill when he repeatedly said in post-race press conferences that a comeback was not impossible.

"Facing the barrel of the gun at 8-1 and what do these guys do? They didn't even flinch," Spithill said after the series-clinching win.

"It really is about the team.

"On your own you are nothing but when you got a team like this around you, they can make you look great and they did all of that today and the whole series.

"I am just so proud of the boys."

A number of races were cancelled due to high winds but the most heart-breaking moment for Team New Zealand was surely on Saturday.

The challengers had about a one-kilometre lead heading to the finish of race 13 and the series.

However, with the New Zealand team less than four minutes from the line, the race was called off because it had exceeded the 40-minute time cut-off.

Races 12 to 19 were the polar opposites of the first 11, with Team USA seemingly in another class of speed to their New Zealand opponents.

Kiwis devastated by defeat

Team New Zealand were understandably dejected after giving up what seemed like an unbeatable lead.

"It's very hard to swallow," Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker told the New Zealand Herald.

"We left nothing on the table. We knew that we had a fight on our hands upwind; sailing a boat that fast is hard to swallow.

"It is very frustrating to think that two weeks ago, the opposite was true. The gains they made were just phenomenal. They did an amazing job to sort the boat out - it was probably a good thing for us that they didn't do so earlier.

"I am incredibly proud of the team and what we have achieved. I am gutted we didn't get the last win we needed to take this Cup back to New Zealand."

New Zealand's prime minister John Key took to Twitter to express his disappointment after the series-decider:

And the US embassy in Canberra was happy to rub salt in the wound:

WOOHOO! US wins – with a boat loaded with Aussies! How are you feeling @usembassynz @davidhuebner? RT: @johnkeypm: Bugger. #AmericasCup — US Embassy Canberra (@USAembassyinOZ) September 25, 2013

Team New Zealand general manager Grant Dalton was hit particularly hard by the loss, saying this may be his last Cup.

"I have probably done my time," Dalton said.

Dalton said money would determine whether other members of the team return.

"It is too early to say. Honestly it will be quite difficult now. I always felt that it will be difficult for the team to stay together, particularly financially."

New Zealand tactician Ray Davies said the loss was simply a matter of superb racing from their opponents.

"We were really happy with the boat and the equipment we had," Davies said.

"The American boys just found another couple of gears through the regatta and hats off to them. They did a fantastic job."

The New Zealand Olympic Committee was also left with egg on its face, like so many others, clearly thought the Kiwis were home and hosed when, at 7-1, they included Team USA boss Russell Coutts in an email requesting contribution for a "vid of congratulations".

Bertrand praises Oracle crew

30 years to the day after Australia II's historic victory, the man who skippered what was, until now, the greatest America's comeback in history, had nothing but praise for the Oracle team.

John Bertrand reserved particularly high praise for Australians Jimmy Spithill and Tom Slingsby as well as recognising the contribution of British sailing legend Ben Ainslie.

"The Kiwis eventually were racing against that as well as the technological might of the US of A," Bertrand told ABC TV of the challenge faced by Team New Zealand.

Australia II was, in its time one of the most technologically advanced vessels in the water, but come 2013 and the game has completely changed.

"We were at the leading edge of technology on an international basis with Australia II ... with the materials we had in those days. We didn't have carbon fibre," he said.

"And now these boats sail three time the speed of the wind; so in 10 knots of breeze, they're sailing 30 knots.

"And it doesn't defy physics, it actually happens."

Somewhat ironically, Bertrand applauded the fighting ANZAC spirit of the US team as the win brought back memories of that famous 1983 win.

"It's part of our DNA now when you look back on it now in this country," he said.

"And I think maybe it represents the ANZAC fightback that we're so proud of as a nation.

"When our backs are to the wall, we can do extraordinary things."

Topics: sailing, other-sports, sport, united-states, coal-point-2283

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