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EVENTS
Photo by Lloyd Images 2016
third, Softbank Team Japan fourth, Artemis Racing fifth and Groupama Team France sixth. At the start of race two it was Oracle Team USA who seized the early advantage, leading Softbank Team Japan and Land Rover BAR at the first mark. Jimmy Spithill’s US crew were right on top of their game and increased their lead throughout the race, but behind them Emirates Team New Zealand, Land Rover BAR and Softbank Team Japan were engaged in a titanic scrap for second with Artemis Racing and Groupama Team France in fifth and sixth respectively. It was Land Rover BAR in second, Softbank Team Japan in third, Emirates Team New Zealand in fourth, Sweden’s Artemis Racing in fifth and Groupama Team France again in sixth. Victory for Oracle Team USA set up the final race as a nail-biting conclusion to the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series in Portsmouth as Land Rover BAR only needed to finish ahead of Oracle Team USA to win the overall regatta honours, and to take top spot in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series standings.
Photo by Lloyd Images 2016
The clock ticked down to the crucial start of race three and it was Oracle Team USA who took the lead off the starting line, just ahead of the British team and the Kiwis on board Emirates Team New Zealand who were watching their series lead disappear ahead of them. The tension was palpable as the British and US teams made their way back down the course, but just after the midway point of the race Oracle Team USA started to edge further away, leaving Ben Ainslie and Land Rover BAR to defend their second place from Emirates Team New Zealand. That second place was all the British team needed to secure overall victory in the regatta and it was never really in doubt, finally winning the regatta by a single point from Oracle Team USA 82 to 81. The win also put the British team into first place on the overall Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series leaderboard, overtaking Emirates Team New Zealand who drop to third with Oracle Team USA in second, Softbank Team Japan in fourth, Artemis Racing fifth and Groupama Team France in sixth.