WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) For thousands of New Zealanders who four years ago watched their sailing team crumble from a seemingly unbeatable position, a win in the America’s Cup brought as much relief as it did elation.
Emirates Team New Zealand clinched a 7-1 victory over Oracle Team USA, winning back a trophy the South Pacific nation last held a decade ago and helping erase memories of the team’s catastrophic 9-8 defeat against Oracle in 2013 in a match they once led 8-1.
Across the country, people set their alarms for 5 a.m. Tuesday to watch the racing in Bermuda.