The Viaduct Basin’s bridge was lowered to get the team - crew and support staff led by skipper Peter Burling and members of the Ngāti Whatua ki Orakei - across to the stage from their base. They gathered in front of the stage and mingled with their Luna Rossa rivals who were presented with their runner-up medals to gracious applause. “You guys deserved it, well done NewZealand,” Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena told the crowd. “Thank you New Zealand, this country is amazing. We are so lucky to be here, nice job to keep us safe and let’s hope you remain safe.”
How sailing s All Blacks forged an America s Cup dynasty
Issued on:
17/03/2021 - 06:43 Team New Zealand s victorious crew lead a flotilla into Auckland Harbour as they celebrate victory in the 36th America s Cup against Luna Rossa Gilles Martin-Raget AFP 4 min
Auckland (AFP)
Team New Zealand s 7-3 America s Cup victory over Luna Rossa in Auckland on Wednesday confirmed the Kiwi syndicate as the dominant force in the regatta s modern era earning them comparisons with rugby union s fabled All Blacks.
From humble beginnings in the mid-1980s, the New Zealanders have outshone better-resourced teams to contest seven of the past eight America s Cup finals, winning four of them.
Sailing - 36th America s Cup
(Reuters) – Luna Rossa co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill says he has unfinished business at the America’s Cup after tactical errors and poor execution saw the Australian suffer a second successive loss to Team New Zealand.
Spithill, who was part of Oracle Team USA’s team that lost 7-1 to TNZ in 2017, helped Luna Rossa into a 3-2 lead but five successive race defeats ended his bid for a third America’s Cup triumph on Wednesday.
The 7-3 loss also dashed Italy’s hopes of securing sport’s oldest international trophy for the first time and Spithill, who skippered Oracle to America’s Cup wins in 2010 and 2013, felt he had let the team down.
America s Cup 2021: The moment Luna Rossa knew they were beat - surprising America s Cup admission
17 Mar, 2021 09:00 PM
3 minutes to read
NZ Herald
Luna Rossa boss Max Sirena has suggested he never really thought beating Team New Zealand was possible in the America s Cup final.
The erudite and highly popular Italian s post-match comments made it pretty clear he thought Te Rehutai - TNZ s stunning AC75 boat - was close to unbeatable over the long haul.
As any top sports team must do, the Italians never gave the contest away publicly, and they had many strong moments during the 7-3 Auld Mug defeat.
Team NZ lift America s Cup after crushing victory over Luna Rossa tvnz.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tvnz.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.