Sailing-New Zealand retain America's Cup with win over Britain

BARCELONA :New Zealand retained the America's Cup with a 7-2 series win over Britain on Saturday, sparking wild celebrations on board their sleek AC75 before heading back to shore to be met with a traditional Maori welcome.

The victory makes it a third win in a row for the New Zealand team, who successfully defended the "Auld Mug", which they had won in Auckland in 2021 and in Bermuda in 2017.

There were hugs among the crew of eight on board "Taihoro" before the rest of their team joined them to mark a successful finale to a three-year campaign to retain the coveted trophy, which is billed as the oldest in international sport.

"An unbelievable feeling and what a group of people to be sharing it with. Thanks everyone for the support," New Zealand skipper Peter Burling, who became the most successful helmsman in the event's 173-year history, said on the America's Cup live broadcast.

"Phenomenal... We've done it and achieved everything we wanted to," said Burling's long-time team mate Blair Tuke.

The black-clad winning crew were surrounded by a flotilla of boats, horns blaring as they packed up their sails before cracking open large bottles of champagne which Burling and his team mates sprayed over each other and the high-tech boat.

"A credit to the whole team really," New Zealand's team leader Grant Dalton said, thanking the city of Barcelona for staging the event and the New Zealanders who had come to Spain to support the America's Cup away from home.

'BEST EVER'

British skipper Ben Ainslie paid tribute to the winning team, whom he said were the best ever in the America's Cup, after losing out to the Kiwis in a tightly-fought sea skirmish.

"At the end of the day the better team won," Ainslie said from onboard "Britannia", adding