Team New Zealand has extended their lead at the top of the America's Cup World Series standings after finishing second at the year's third and final event in Bermuda.
Team New Zealand celebrate their win at the America's Cup World Series event in Gothenberg Photo: Photosport / Jonas Andersson / Emirates Team New Zealand
The New Zealanders finished fifth in the first race of the Bermuda regatta, won by American Cup holders Team Oracle, and second in the second race - won by Sweden's Artemis, before winning the third race.
The results mean Team New Zealand finished second at the final regatta behind Artemis.
However their consistent performances throughout the year lifted them to the top of the overall standings title, 10 points clear of Oracle heading into the next round in Chicago in June.
The New Zealand syndicate were the only team to have finished in the top three in every race of the series, with a win in the Swedish event in Gothenberg and a runners-up spot in the opening event in Portsmouth.
"Obviously we would have really liked to win here in Bermuda, but Artemis showed a lot of guts today to win, but with the big picture in mind we are really happy to have finished the year with a solid lead in the overall series," said a satisfied skipper Glenn Ashby.
"The importance of each and every point, and every place in every race for that matter, in the world series cannot be underestimated, after all these points all add up to actual race points in the Louis Vuitton Qualifier series, and potentially into the actual America's Cup in 2017."
"If you had told us six months ago that we would be in this position, having barely sailed as a group together in these modified foiling AC45s, we probably would have laughed right at you. Especially when you take into consideration the time the other teams have had sailing together," said helmsman Peter Burling
"I guess it's just an illustration, not only of the talent we have within the team now, but also the potential we have to get better and better over the next two years. We have only just started down this road and we are looking pretty good, and most importantly we are having a lot of fun as well."
