Team New Zealand joy flows after sitting tight for final America’s Cup win against Britannia
Sunday, 20 October 2024
Stuff is the official broadcast partner of the America's Cup 2024. Watch all races live on stuff.co.nz/americas-cup, as well as on Three and ThreeNow.
Waiting is common at the America’s Cup. Team New Zealand were prepared to sit tight for the final race they needed to retain the Auld Mug.
The anticipation was high around the Port of Barcelona on Sunday (NZ time). However, the winds were light and the forecast for sailing was bleak.
The Kiwi party was paused after another huge send-off from Team NZ’s base, knowing another win over Britannia would clinch the Cup for the third time in a row, but patience was required.
Fortunately, Barcelona’s unpredictable winds defied the experts (again) and soon the celebrations started on Team NZ’s victorious Cup boat, Taihoro, as they crossed the finish line to defeat Britannia 7-2 in the Cup’s 37th match race.
Even down the final stretch of the course, with a huge advantage, Team NZ were laser-focused, remaining ultra-professional to the bitter end of a three-year campaign.
Job done, then the joy and laughter of the eight-strong crew on their AC75 was flowing.
Helmsman Nathan Outteridge, a winner in his first America’s Cup match, said everyone was disciplined, eagerly waiting for more than 40 minutes on the decider’s sixth day to beat Britannia once more.
“We were prepared to wait out there for quite a while. It came way faster than we thought. We were very keen to get it over and done with as quick as we could,” he said.
“When you can see the finishing line in front of you, everyone kept it pretty calm, but the moment you know it's done, everyone got pretty excited.
“Personally, I just took a moment to just appreciate the experience and appreciate being with such an amazing team.”
Outteridge, the port helmsman, said he and Blair Tuke, the flight controller in front of him, had a good moment together.
Tuke, who has now won three Cups with Peter Burling and Andy Maloney after Auckland and Bermuda’s successes, urged the Aussie to savour the moment.
There are the four cyclors, too, and the crew were quick to welcome the support team in chase boats. They all shuffled around Taihoro’s decks to start spraying the champagne.
“You have 300 or so people who have worked so hard for the last three years to make this happen,” Outteridge said.
From the design team to the shore crew and the sailors, Team NZ created the fastest boat possible. They might have an advantage as the defenders in setting out the rules, but they have maintained a complete dominance that has become a Kiwi Cup dynasty.
Kevin Shoebridge, the team’s long-standing chief operating officer, said they don’t want to stop yet.
“To win it three times in a row is a pretty monumental achievement,” Shoebridge said.
“We've set the standard for three campaigns and need to continue that with an amazing bunch that’s more a family than a team.”
Team NZ have achieved something no syndicate has managed since the United States lost the trophy for the first time, in 1983, by completing their hat-trick in Barcelona.
Despite dropping two races to Britannia on Thursday (NZ time), it was clear this was a contest the Kiwis were controlling. Victories five and six on Saturday (NZ time) swung the momentum their way again.
“Seeing the way the team dug deep and put together the happiest races on [Saturday, NZ time] was something incredibly special,” Burling said.
Restoring their four-point lead for the weekend, Team NZ were tested by the Brits in the finale.
However, the Kiwis came good in the final legs and cruised home.
“It's not really sunk in yet for me,” Burling said.
“To see all our friends, family, team-mates back at the dock on our way and all the fans of the team that have been cheering us on all week long, it was just unbelievable.”
Outteridge added: “Hopefully, the celebrations go for longer than one night and we can enjoy the rest of this week.”