AUCKLAND: Team New Zealand won the America’s Cup Wednesday, defeating Italy’s Luna Rossa 7-3 to claim yachting’s most prestigious trophy for the fourth time.
The defending champions claimed the single win they needed to seal the best-of-13 series with a 46-second victory over the Italians in race 10 on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.
“It’s absolutely unreal… it just means the world to us as a team,” Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling said.
Team New Zealand entered the regatta as heavy favourites but the Italians matched them in the early stages, taking the scores to 3-2.
But the hosts then reeled off five successive wins, helped by their superior speed and local knowledge as Auckland produced days of light, inconsistent winds.
The New Zealanders…