Emirates Team New Zealand win in Jeddah

Peter Burling, Nathan Outteridge, Blair Tuke and Andy Maloney were the dominant crew all week, winning five of the eight fleet races. But in the end that counted for nothing in the winner take all match race final, which the kiwi crew won the start of, before illustrating text book match race tactics, leading Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli around the course and taking the regatta after a spectacular nose dive from the Italians rounding the final mark putting an end to the race.

Helmsman Nathan Outteridge was ecstatic with the win here in Jeddah.

"It feels great, a lot of effort has gone into this, so as a team we are obviously very happy to get the win that we didn't get at the last event. It is a massive team effort with a huge team behind us all. You only see four of us on the race boat, but there is a vital team behind us that has created this class and this event."

Like a newly discovered sailing secret, Jeddah again delivered near perfect conditions on the final day of racing on the Red Sea. As if on request, a steady 15 knots from the Northwest arrived for race time to provide some stunning AC40 action.

With Emirates Team New Zealand already qualified for the match race final yesterday, the first fleet races were an opportunity for the team to find their groove for the final race that mattered.

In the first race of the day, Burling and his crew finished third- following NYYC American Magic and the Italians who showed dangerous speed, stretching their legs in front and sailing into the final match race joining the Emirates Team New Zealand with one fleet race to go.

The eighth and final fleet race of the America's Cup Preliminary Regatta presented by NEOM was yet another arm wrestle in increasing seas states challenging the trimmers and their accuracy in their gybes. Ultimately it again was a now familiar sight of Emirates Team New Zealand grinding out a lead and extending around the track in a perfect way to prepare for the final match race taking their 5th race win out of 8 fleet races.

"It was nice to tidy up a few things in the second fleet race, it felt like we did a nicer job of it than the race before." said Peter Burling before the final match race.

"The waves are a bit of a balance on how hard you go versus how easy you take it. A lot of the challenge is speed in manoeuvres and getting around the course cleanly. Now we have one boat to worry about in the final pre start start rather than five so we will see how it goes. But we will give it our all to win the match race."

The final match race Emirates Team New Zealand entered on Port, the Italians on Starboard.

Burling and Outteridge dominating Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team in the prestart luffing the Italians over the start line, getting a penalty on them and leading off the start line. But as has been typical all week, the Italians were always fast and hot on the heels of Emirates Team New Zealand. A 2 second lead at the first top mark and 1 second delta at the second gate, inches were not give. The race decided with the Italians getting too high in the final bear away, resulting in a huge nosedive stopping them in their tracks.

A smiling Outteridge summarise what has been one of the most spectacular regattas of racing seen in a long time, "It has been really challenging conditions out here. It's what we love as sailors, we were just happy to put together some clean laps after the first race and then we sailed more accurately and faster and shut that final race down against Prada."