Thanks to some gutsy racing and a dash of luck, Epic Emirates Team New Zealand was able to pull off a surprising win at this year’s Louis Vuitton America’s World Cup in New York City.
By Jordan Smith After a heated day of racing, Epic Emirates Team New Zealand wins the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series In New York with a gutsy play.
The start of the third and final race of the day saw the New Zealand team trailing in sixth place due to a bad start. Towards the final top mark, sitting in a distant 5th place, the Emirates Team New Zealand team were able to latch onto a last-minute gust of wind and pull ahead of the pack, winning the race and retaining their position at the top of the World Series leader board.
“That was a really tough day of racing, the wind was so turbulent and there were huge gains and losses across the race course.” Said an elated Glenn Ashby, one of the members of the winning Epic Emirates Team. “Luckily for us, I guess, we waited until the last moment to make use of one of those huge gains. You just had to keep your head in the game and keep on going, so we are really happy.”
In New York, racers faced wind between 7 and 18 knots. A huge crowd of onlookers turned out to watch the action, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme.
“As always in these regatta’s where anything can happen, if you can aim to finish in the top three of each race you are going to look pretty strong towards the end.” said helmsman Peter Burling, another member of the team.
With the win in New York, Emirates Team New Zealand has extended their lead on the overall standings of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series to 8 points over Oracle.
Skipper Ashby concluded, “For sure for us we can walk away both relieved and ecstatic to have won here in New York and also to gain a couple more points overall. It is never easy, so we are stoked to have done so.”
