6 Jun 2017

Team NZ beat broken Great Britain

From Morning Report, 6:43 am on 6 June 2017

Great Britain lost two America's Cup semi-final races to Team New Zealand when the British team was forced to retire after a part in their 'wing' sail snapped today.

Team New Zealand racing Land Rover Bar in day 2 of qualifying races for the America's Cup. 28 May 017, Bermuda.

Photo: ACEA 2017 / Ricardo Pinto

The breakage means New Zealand immediately go two up in the best-of-nine semi-final, starting the second race on their own as Land Rover BAR's shore team scrambled to repair their boat.

"We have forfeited racing today due to damage to our wing, we will be back tomorrow (Wednesday) to fight another day," the British team said on Twitter.

Ben Ainslie's America's Cup challenger crew was forced to throw in the towel after hearing a "bang" during what was set up to be a tight race against New Zealand.

The British skipper abruptly halted his 50-foot foiling catamaran to prevent further damage after completing only the second of seven legs in the widely-anticipated first race.

New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling had got the better of Ainslie at the start and led to the second mark of the course, but the British boat appeared to be catching them.

"We can't load the wing up at all... its a tough situation right now," Ainslie told BT Sport from his support boat as his technical team worked to get their catamaran back to base.