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Video: Team NZ recover from horror start to go two-from-two over improved INEOS Team UK

December 18, 2020

The New Zealanders were dead in the water at one stage before their superior boat speed saw them steam ahead.

Team New Zealand recovered from a horrendous start to avoid a shock defeat by early strugglers INEOS Team UK in the final race of day two of the America's Cup World Series./p>

Winless after day one, the Brits built confidence after a solid, albeit losing effort first up against Team NZ.

In race two, in light late afternoon conditions on the Waitematā Harbour, UK skipper Ben Ainslie won the pre-start with Team NZ dropping their foils and finding themselves stuck in the water shortly before the startline. 

Peter Burling had been forced onto the backfoot after Ainslie's early move. However, after a solid first upwind leg, Team NZ hauled themselves back into the front after trailing by over 400m at one stage. 

The lead changed a couple of times before the Kiwis streaked ahead, eventually winning by 1min 42sec. 

New Zealand went two-from-two today, although they won't be completely happy, nearly hitting a mark in the first race and getting too much air in leg four.

It came after Ainslie upped the stakes before racing today, saying a system supplied by Team New Zealand was behind their mishaps on day one.

He blamed the problems on a component of the hydraulic foil canting system, a one-size-fits-all solution designed by the NZ team.

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