The America’s Cup will be staying in New Zealand. The home team, after leading the Italians 6-3, had an easy win over Luna Rossa in the tenth race to make it 7-3.
The start was postponed twice as the teams waited for the wind to stabilise. The Italians crossed the start ahead but right after the line the New Zealanders tacked cannily off to the right, sailed into the lead and the race was virtually over.
Leg after leg New Zealand extended its lead, thanks also to a speed advantage of a good four knots or more on the downwind stretches, and all the Italians could do was chase and hope in a mistake from New Zealand. But they just didn’t have the speed to catch them and in any case the New Zealanders didn’t make any mistakes, going on to cross the finish line 46 seconds ahead.
