Team New Zealand Sail Away

Team NZ's superiority over the Italians showed today when they became the first country outside the United States to successfully defend the Americas Cup.

After successfully dragging Prada off at race start, Black Magic took an early lead up the left side of the course winning a tacking duel on the way to the first mark.

Sailing downwind to the second mark, Black Magic showed her superiority in high winds leading by 24 seconds.

Going back to windward Prada clawed back some of the time it had lost narrowing the gap to 22 seconds.

Local knowlege of wind-shifts paid off and Team New Zealand ploughed to a 48 second lead by the half-way mark.

From here there was no looking back for the Kiwis.

Black Magic led by 1 minute 1 second on the fourth leg, and 1 minute 18 seconds at the penultimate mark. The Prada team were looking devastated by the final beat windward.

Sprinting to the finish Black Magic won the race by 48 seconds.

Both the Prime Minister and the Deputy PM have congratulated Team New Zealand for their five nil clean sweep of the series.

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