Emirates Team New Zealand !
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New Zealand’s hour of revenge has sounded. 4 years after the debacle in Auckland, New Zealand has the chance to recover this precious trophy. The victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup finals against Luna Rossa is absolute: 5 matches to nothing. Team New Zealand has passed all the buoys in the lead.
There was no miracle and as many previewed this morning, Luna Rossa once again could not upset the tables. Even though they came out of the pre-start phase well, James Spithill on ITA94 could never pass in front of NZL92, a formidable pointing machine. The score is severe, for the Italians who have seduced all of Valencia in easily disposing of BMW Oracle, a big favorite in the semi-finals. As in 2000 (finals of the 30th America’s Cup) the Italians lost soundly against the New Zealanders, without any real doubts.
Dean Barker, the helmsman of TNZ, will contest, starting the 23rd of June his third consecutive America’s Cup. In the shadow of his mentor Russel Coutts, he won in 2000 (again against Luna Rossa), even taking the helm in the last race. The two men faced each other in 2003 but this time as adversaries. Moving to the Alinghi camp, Russel Coutts outrageously dominated his student Barker, 5 victories to 0. Coutts is no longer there in the 32nd America’s Cup, a remake of the 31st but there will an air of revenge. The roles have been inversed and against the best challengers, the pressure will now be on Alinghi.
RV/LH Valencia June 7 2007
| Emirates Team New Zealand |
5 |
| Luna Rossa Challenge |
0 |