Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Monday 19 June 2017

Burling, Kiwis win 2 more to take 3-0 lead in America’s Cup

By BERNIE WILSON Oracle does have history
AP Sports Writer on its side.
HAMILTON, Bermuda (AP) This is a rematch of the
— Jimmy Spithill and his epic 2013 America’s Cup,
mates with Oracle Team when Team New Zealand,
USA might need to start then skippered by Dean
tapping out an SOS from Barker, reached match
the Bermuda Triangle. point at 8-1 before Spithill
The two-time defending lead Oracle Team USA to
America’s Cup champi- eight straight victories for
ons are foundering badly one of the biggest come-
against hotshot young backs in sports.
helmsman Peter Burling Then again, it could also
and Emirates Team New be a repeat of 1995, when
Zealand, who are threat- Team New Zealand, then
ening to sail — and cycle led by skipper Russell Coutts
— away with the oldest tro- and Peter Blake, sailed a
phy in international sports. fast boat to a five-race
The 26-year-old Burling wipeout of Dennis Conner
calmly steered the Kiwis’ off San Diego to hoist the
fast 50-foot catamaran to America’s Cup for the first
two more dominating vic- time. Coutts successfully
tories Sunday to remain un- defended the America’s
defeated in the showdown Oracle Team USA, left, races Emirates Team New Zealand during the third race of America’s Cup Cup in 2000 before jump-
on the Great Sound. competition Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Hamilton, Bermuda. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) ing to Swiss startup syndi-
Although they’ve won the cate Alinghi of Switzerland
first four races, the Kiwis 2003. Oracle needs to win estimated $55 billion — we need to make some and sweeping his former
lead Oracle 3-0. Because seven to keep the silver has five days to come up serious changes,” a glum- team in 2003.
Oracle won the qualifiers, trophy in the hands of one with some answers to try to looking Spithill said. “Today Coutts has been the CEO
the challenger started the of the world’s richest men, counter the spot-on design I thought we got off the line of Oracle Team USA since
35th America’s Cup match software tycoon Larry Elli- innovations by the scrappy, pretty well, but they were it beat Alinghi in 2010. He’s
with a negative point. son, who has been watch- underfunded Kiwis, who pretty impressive acceler- also the CEO of the Amer-
Team New Zealand needs ing the shellacking from a nearly folded after their ating. ... Clearly we need to ica’s Cup Event Authority.
to win four more races to team support boat. epic collapse in the 2013 now put everything back “The motivation is always
return the Auld Mug to the Racing resumes Saturday America’s Cup on San on the table.“I think these there,” said Spithill, who is
Royal New Zealand Yacht and Sunday. Francisco Bay. next five days will be the trying to win the America’s
Squadron in Auckland, Well-funded Oracle Team “I think it’s pretty obvious most important five days of Cup for the third straight
where it resided from 1995- USA — Ellison is worth an these guys are faster and the campaign,” he said. time before he turns 38. q
Porsche leaves it late to win 24 Hours Le Mans for 3rd year

LE MANS, France (AP) — end of the grueling endur- “Well done everybody,” an rushed over to jump on the in 2010 when driving for the
Veteran German driver ance race. exhausted Bernhard said No. 2 car as the co-drivers dominant Audi team.
Timo Bernhard led Porsche But the 36-year-old Bern- over team radio. “You’re celebrated wildly. Bamber It was a fantastic come-
to a dramatic third straight hard, racing in the faster the best.” also won in 2015 alongside back win considering that
win at the 24 Hours Le Mans and more powerful LMP1 Teammate Brendon Hart- F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg. the Porsche No. 2 was held
race to prevent a huge category Porsche 919 Hy- ley, who had done much Bernhard finished about up for more than one hour
upset win for the lesser cat- brid, overtook the Oreca of the hard work to drag one minute ahead of the due to technical problems
egory Oreca team on Sun- with about 1 hour remain- Porsche back into the race, Jackie Chan DC Racing earlier in the race and
day. ing. was in tears. team car, owned by the at one point was in 56th
After a series of mishaps to As the Porsche No. 2 “It was unreal. This race is al- famed action movie star. place.“It was absolutely
pre-race favorites Porsche crossed the finish line, there ways a roller coaster,” said Another Oreca LMP2 car — crazy. When I heard it (the
and Toyota, the LMP2 cat- were scenes of relief in the Hartley, who won it for the driven by Nelson Piquet Jr., engine) go ‘Bang’ I thought
egory Oreca suddenly Porsche garage as team first time. “It was an incred- the son of the famed Brazil- 100 percent our race was
found itself in the lead with members danced around ible team effort. I’m going ian F1 driver, finished in third over,” Bamber said. “The
19-year-old Frenchman holding up T-shirts with “Hat to remember this forever.” place for the Vaillante Re- guys turned it around. We
Thomas Laurent behind the trick 2015, 2016, 2017” writ- Hartley and fellow New bellion team. thought we would finish in
wheel three hours from the ten on them. Zealander Earl Bamber Bernhard also won the race the top five. q