America's Cup 2017: Team New Zealand win with crushing victory over Oracle Team USA

  • 27/06/2017

The ghosts of 2013 have finally been laid to rest - the America's Cup is returning to New Zealand.

Peter Burling's Team New Zealand have beaten Jimmy Spithill's American outfit by 55 seconds to win the America's Cup Match Series 7-1 on Bermuda's Great Sound.

The Kiwis built steadily in light airs after Team USA edged the start to take a narrow early lead in the final race on Tuesday morning (NZT).

Team NZ hit the front at the second gate, extending that to 25sec at the third and adding another 10 seconds going through gate four.

Team USA cut the deficit slightly on the fifth leg, but the Kiwis were relentless over the final stages in shutting out a comprehensive win.

As low-key as ever afterwards, Burling nevertheless couldn't keep the smile off his face.

"It's unreal - it's exactly what we came here to do," he said.

"We're on top of the world. It's been three years of hard work for so many people in the team."

The win finally laid to rest memories from four years ago in San Francisco, when Team NZ squandered an 8-1 lead to lose the challenge series 9-8.

Burling said that defeat had played a big part in motivating his crew.

"I definitely don't think we'd be here without the heartache of San Francisco."

Newshub.