See how Oracle Team USA secured one of the greatest comeback in sporting history to win the America's Cup.
The wait goes on
Unfavourable winds in San Francisco Bay denied Emirates Team New Zealand the chance to clinch the America's Cup for at least another day.
Race officials decided the wind direction was unfavourable and postponed the day's two scheduled races. Emirates Team New Zealand lead 8-3 and require just one more victory to take the Auld Mug from defending champion Oracle Team USA.
Oracle win again
Emirates Team New Zealand was thwarted in its effort to win the America's Cup. Race 13 was postponed because of a time limit with the Kiwis far ahead of Oracle Team USA in light, shifty wind on foggy San Francisco Bay. Then, on the rerun it was
Oracle who took the victory to close the gap to 8-3 in the best-of-nine series.
Oracle fight on
Oracle Team USA
kept their slim hopes alive of retaining the America's Cup with victory over Emirates Team New Zealand in race 12. Jimmy Spithill's crew triumphed by 31 seconds to record their fourth triumph of the series, though they still trail 8-2 after being penalised two points before racing began.
New Zealand on the brink
Emirates Team New Zealand moved within one win of clinching the America's Cup after
claiming a 15-second victory in Race 11 on Wednesday. The Kiwis took an 8-1 lead over Oracle Team USA but were denied the opportunity to win the oldest international sports trophy the same day after high winds postponed Race 12.
Tuesday postponed
Emirates Team New Zealand will have to wait a little longer for their chance to capture the America's Cup after the 11th and 12th races had to be
cancelled due to high winds on San Francisco Bay. Sailing is now set to resume on Wednesday, with the Kiwis needing two more victories to take the trophy from the grasp of reigning champions Oracle Team USA.
Race 9 & 10
Oracle Team USA recorded back-to-back wins in this year's America's Cup for the first time however Team New Zealand
hit back to regain the initiative on San Francisco Bay on Sunday. Oracle, with Sir Ben Ainslie acting as tactician, had registered a 47-second victory to give them hope, however the Kiwis finished strongly in Race 10 to win by 17 seconds. Team New Zealand now need just two wins to claim the Auld Mug.
Race 8
Ben Ainslie and skipper Jimmy Spithill guided Oracle Team USA
to a 52-second victory in race eight of the America's Cup on the San Francisco Bay on Saturday. Ainslie, the Oracle tactician, helped his team overcome an eight second deficit at the second marker to secure a 28-second lead over Emirates Team New Zealand at the third. Team New Zealand almost capsized and were also were also hit by a penalty for failing to give way to the windward boat.
Ainslie still fighting
Sir Ben Ainslie says Oracle Team USA
have not given up on America's Cup glory despite their seven-point deficit to Emirates Team New Zealand. Oracle trail by 6 to -1 having been docked two-points prior to the event for making illegal modifications, and need a minor miracle if they are to win the first-to-9 series. But Ainslie says the team have not given up despite the huge disadvantage. "Nobody here is giving up by any means," the 36-year-old told Sky Sports News.
Races 6 & 7
Even Britain's Sir Ben Ainslie proved unable to help Oracle Team USA in their
America's Cup battle with Emirates Team New Zealand in San Francisco on Thursday. Team New Zealand beat the defending champions in both of the day's races to move closer to taking the Cup down under for the second time in 18 years. The Kiwis dominated both races, winning by 47 seconds and 66 seconds.
Oracle gamble on Ainslie
Four-time Olympic champion Sir Ben Ainslie has been
drafted in to revive Oracle Team USA's flagging bid to retain the America's Cup. Britain's Ainslie has been brought in to replace tactician John Kostecki ahead of Race Six and Seven against Emirates Team New Zealand on Thursday. "We've decided to make a change in the back and bring Ben Ainslie onboard," skipper Jimmy Spithill said in a statement on the team's official website. "While making crew changes has always been an option, we understand there's a risk that comes with it. JK is a great team-mate and a tremendous asset to our program, and he is supportive of the decision."
Race 5
Team New Zealand extended their lead after
comfortably defeating Oracle Team USA in the fifth race on Tuesday. They are now just five more away from seizing the Cup from the grasp of the current holders. Oracle have just one race victory but are still stuck on minus one due to a penalty they incurred before the opening race. They opted to use their "provisional card" after their latest loss, allowing them to postpone the second race that was due to take place. Instead, race six will now be staged on Thursday.
Races 3 & 4
Team New Zealand might have moved into a clear lead after a dominate victory in Race 3, however the fight for the
America's Cup is far from over. Oracle Team USA proved they are in no mood to let the Kiwis have things their own way as they finished eight seconds clear in Race 4. And Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill believes that his team now have the momentum moving forward.
Races 1 & 2
Team New Zealand skimmed above the waves of San Francisco Bay faster and better than defending champion Oracle Team USA to win the
first two races of the 34th America's Cup on Saturday. With low-key skipper Dean Barker at the wheel of the high-performance catamaran, the Kiwis lost and then regained the lead to win the opening race by 36 seconds. Team New Zealand, showing better speed and crew work, led the whole way in the second race to win by 52 seconds.
Penalty:
Team Oracle USA have it all to do this year after they were hit with a
two-point deduction ahead of the start of the competition on Saturday. The Americans were penalised for illegally modifying catamarans. It means Team USA must win 11 races to defend their title while their opponent Emirates Team New Zealand require nine wins in the best-of-17 format event.
Preview:
This year's event sees
Team Oracle USA defend their crown against Team New Zealand in San Francisco. The Americans are the reigning champions following a 2-0 success over Switzerland's Alinghi. Their opponents are Team New Zealand, who won the right to battle Oracle after toppling Italy's Luna Rossa 7-1 in the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series. Tensions between the teams have been running high with Team New Zealand's managing director Grant Dalton and Russell Coutts, is CEO of Oracle Team USA, talking up their teams' chances.
History:
The America's Cup is quite simply one of the oldest trophies in sport. Its
162-year history has been dominated by America. New York Yacht Club won the 1851 contest and subsequently won their next 25 meets, a run that lasted 132 year until they were beaten by Royal Perth Yacht Club in 1983. The event is a challenge-based sailing competition where the winning yacht club makes the rules and hosts the following edition. Throughout the years America's Cup boats have undergone various construction changes.
Schedule:
Don't miss any of the action from the west coast with
comprehensive coverage of this year's event on
Sky Sports.
We bring you live coverage of each of each America's Cup race along with numerous highlights packages should you miss out.
