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Britannia storms back into America's Cup

Updated: Oct 17

Britannia has stormed back into contention winning two races to fight back in the America's Cup in Barcelona.
Errors appeared from nowhere to hamper the New Zealand boat at the start of both races in the America's Cup in Barcelona PHOTO: AMERICA'S CUP

Britannia has stormed back into contention winning two races to fight back in the America's Cup in Barcelona.


New Zealand, now leads 4-2 in the first to seven series but was forced into mistakes in both pre-starts and effectively lost the races as a result.


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The New Zealanders fell off their foils in the first race and went on to lose by a minute and 18 seconds.


Britannia was safe at every and led by over two minutes early on at the top gate as they dominated their opponents.


Again the British got the edge in the start of the second race and held on to win by seven seconds.


Britannia led around the first mark and were able to stay ahead in all of the eight legs, hitting speeds of more than 35 knots as they navigated a churned-up sea, holding off a late New Zealand challenge for the win.


Sir Ben Ainslie and his crew were also able to get the better of the New Zealand team skippered by Peter Burling at the start of the first race as the Kiwis came off their foils, while the British stayed up and foiling.


Britain crossed the start line to leave New Zealand in their wake and disappeared up the course. By the time New Zealand were able to get back on their foils Ainslie's crew just needed to make sure they sailed cleanly to capitalise on the advantage.


Ainslie's crew kept their cool to notch up their first morale-boosting victory in a long quest to win the "Auld Mug", which Britain have never won in the race's 173-year-history.





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