Team New Zealand has finished third in the America's Cup World Series following the conclusion of the final round in Japan.
Team New Zealand sailing in Bermuda 2015. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The result means they just miss out on carrying some bonus points through to next year's America's Cup in Bermuda.
Team New Zealand finished fourth in the Fukuoka event behind BAR of Britain, Artemis and Oracle.
In the overall World Series, BAR was first and earn two bonus points, Oracle was second and earn one bonus point, while Team New Zealand was third.
The America's Cup challenger selection series starts on May 26th with the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers.
In the Qualifiers each competitor will race every other competitor twice, scoring one point per win. The top four challengers advance to the Playoffs (beginning on June 4th) and they will be split in two semifinals. The winners then will race in a final to determine the top challenger that will go up against the Defender in the 35th America's Cup Match scheduled to start on June 17th.
Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling. "It was tough out there, it was down to the wire and we just missed out but overall looking at where we came from at the beginning of the World Series, it is probably a fair result. Patience and perseverance are key in this campaign, a chapter is closed and we are already focusing on what lies ahead."
Glenn Ashby, Team New Zealand Skipper said: "A couple of marginal penalties didn't go our way in some close situations and that just made things harder than they need to be. The exciting thing for us now is we have a clear runway to focus entirely on our testing and development program back in New Zealand for the main event next year, in the races that count. We have the sailors, the designers, the shore team to win the America's Cup and now we just have to push for the final sprint."
Team New Zealand will be back out on the Waitemata harbour this week resuming the drive to maximize the performance of their race yacht for Bermuda next year.
-RNZ
