Team New Zealand Wins 4th Match

The Italian challenger began the day down 3-0 to Emirates Team New Zealand in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final and couldn’t afford another loss. But, the Emirates Team New Zealand squad won its fourth consecutive race of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final and now sits one win away from a trip to the America’s Cup Match. The Kiwis trailed early in Tuesday’s race, but soon recovered to lead at every turning mark of the race course. Luna Rossa Challenge won the first cross in today’s race after the teams took opposite sides of the starting line and split early on the first leg. The Italians were on the right hand side and made a nice gain in the first few minutes after the starting gun. When the boats converged for the first cross, Luna Rossa skipper Francesco de Angelis tacked on Kiwi Dean Barker with nearly 100 metres on the bow to bow advantage line. After NZL 92 tacked back out to the left, each team tacked again, setting up a second cross. The Kiwis had clearly made a gain and Italian tactician Torben Grael called for an early tack to leeward of the New Zealand boat. Within minutes, the Emirates squad had lifted inside ITA 94 and regained the advantage line. The Kiwis sailed the Italians out past the starboard tack layline, consolidating their lead, and rounded the first mark 19 seconds ahead. From their, Emirates Team New Zealand was never threatened, and the Kiwis won the race by 52 seconds.