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Team NZ pay for penalties against Team USA

Author
NZN,
Publish Date
Sun, 4 Jun 2017, 6:26AM
Team NZ's hopes of winning the America's Cup have taken a hit with a pivotal loss to Team USA. (Photosport)
Team NZ's hopes of winning the America's Cup have taken a hit with a pivotal loss to Team USA. (Photosport)

Team NZ pay for penalties against Team USA

Author
NZN,
Publish Date
Sun, 4 Jun 2017, 6:26AM

Team NZ's hopes of winning the America's Cup have taken a hit with a pivotal loss to Team USA in the final race of the challenger qualifying series in Bermuda.

LIVE UPDATES: Louis Vuitton America's Cup qualifiers - day 8

Team USA, the Cup holders, dominated the clash of two powerhouse syndicates on Sunday (NZT), winning by 29 seconds to ensure they will finish top of the qualifying standings.

As such, they will take a bonus point with them into the best-of-13 Cup Match, effectively the regatta final, later in the month.

Team NZ finish the qualifying second, with an 8-2 win-loss record.

Both losses have come against Team USA, including Sunday's effort which was marred by three penalty offences which cost a total of six boat lengths.

Australian skipper Jimmy Spithill on board Team USA had the better of Team NZ helmsman Peter Burling in the pre-start, earning a penalty in the process.

An even battle ensued in solid winds of about 11 knots before a decisive moment at the start of the fifth leg upwind.

Team NZ were ruled to have crossed the race boundary, incurring a two-length penalty.

The boat slowed but not sufficiently in the eyes of course umpires, who issued another penalty.

The lost ground left Burling with 30sec to make up, something he and his crew couldn't achieve against the efficient Americans.

Team NZ still finish first among the challengers, giving them the right to choose their opponents for the best-of-nine semi-final phase.

The three remaining races on Sunday carried little meaning aside from racing practice.

Team USA made it two-from-two with a comfortable defeat of Britain's BAR.

It was the holders' last race before a two-week period of development while the challengers contest the knockout phase.

BAR beat Team Japan by 13 seconds while the Swedish syndicate crushed the already-eliminated Team France by more than two minutes.

Final qualifying series standings: Team USA 8 wins 2 losses (9 points), Team NZ 8-2 (8), British BAR 4-6 (6), Team Sweden 5-5 (5), Team Japan 3-7 (3), Team France 2-8 (2).

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