AFTER the longest and fastest regatta in history Australian James Spithill and his team on Oracle Team USA have won the Americas Cup after a miraculous comeback which has rewritten history.

The famous sailing regatta was won by the Larry Ellison backed Oracle, the America’s Cup defenders, this morning when they beat Emirates Team New Zealand by 44 seconds on the waters of San Francisco Bay.

It signaled the end of almost three weeks of thrilling racing in the high-speed AC72 chosen as the weapon of choice in the battle for the 34th America’s Cup.

KIWIS TAKE IT ON THE CHIN

YOU THINK THAT WAS A CHOKE?

“Good one guys,’’ Spithill said to his crew as he steered across the finish. "It is really about the team. On your own you are nothing.’’

“We faced the barrel of the gun at 8-1 and what did these guys do? They didn’t even flinch.’’

“Oh man, what a race. It had everything. It was a fantastic race . We wouldn’t have had it any other way than to come from behind.

“These guys showed so much heart.’’

It was also the eighth straight win by Spithill and his team which includes Australians Tom Slingsby, Joey Newton and Kyle Langford.

The teams went into this morning deadlocked after James Spithill and his team staged a stunning comeback to move from 8-1 down to level the series.

ORACLE TEAM USA WINS EPIC AMERICA'S CUP

“We can win this,’’ said Spithill a week ago when New Zealand needed just a single win to claim the America’s Cup.

This morning he proved himself right.

The win by Spithill and his crewmates means the America’s Cup will stay in the US, the home of software billionaire Ellison.

The US team will be able to decide the terms of the next America’s Cup and where and when it will be held.

They will also determine the boats the America’s Cup battle will be fought out in.

The New Zealanders took control of the race early and lead at the first gate by just seconds as the American's flubbed the turn, dunking their bow.

New Zealand defended a narrow lead around the next marker and into the critical upwind third leg.

The American's split the course and engaged in a tacking duel that ended with the defending champion seizing a lead that grew all the way to the finish.

Spithill joked about the nose dive afterwards saying it added some extra drama to the race. "We thought we would make it exciting,'' he said.

Oracle then held position until they crossed the finish line just after 6.30am this morning.

The America's Cup, first contested in 1851, had been held since 2010 by Oracle team owner Ellison.

The technology industry titan, whose personal fortune is estimated at some US$40 billion beat the giant Swiss catamaran Alinghi 2-0 three years ago in Valencia, Spain, with a 30-metre-long (98-feet) rigid wing trimaran.

Ellison brought the regatta to San Francisco, setting it "in-shore'' on the San Francisco Bay to make it a captivating spectator sport.

HOW THE 2013 AMERICA'S CUP FINAL SERIES UNFOLDED: Oracle Team USA beat Team NZ 9-8

Sept 7

Race 1: Team NZ win by 36sec

Race 2: Team NZ win by 52sec

Sept 8

Race 3: Team NZ win by 28sec

Race 4: Oracle win by 8sec

Sept 10

Race 5: Team NZ win by 1min 5sec

Sept 12

Race 6: Team NZ win by 47sec

Race 7: Team NZ win by 1min 6sec

Sept 14

Race 8: Oracle win by 52sec

Sept 15

Race 9: Oracle win by 47sec

Race 10: Team NZ win by 17sec

Sept 18

Race 11: Team NZ win by 15sec

Sept 19

Race 12: Oracle win by 31sec

Sept 20

Race 13: Oracle win by 1min 24sec

Sept 22

Race 14: Oracle win by 23sec

Race 15: Oracle win by 37sec

Sept 23

Race 16: Oracle win by 33sec

Sept 24

Race 17: Oracle win by 27sec

Race 18: Oracle win by 54sec

Sept 25

Race 19: Oracle win by 44sec





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