Impenetrable

Grant Dalton called it the strongest New Zealand team ever. We’d add that it looked like the most cohesive America’s Cup team ever, of any nationality. Contrary to some, we would argue that Emirates Team New Zealand were not always the absolute fastest on the water – unlike three years ago – but the quality of their sailing, inch-perfect accuracy and virtually flawless manoeuvring meant that an opponent would have needed a very big speed advantage to cause them any serious concern. And that was – and is – never going to happen. Ivor Wilkins reports

Whichever way the results played out in fickle autumnal winds at the Mediterranean city of Barcelona, the 37th America’s Cup Match was destined to produce a result that was nothing short of momentous. A successful defence by Emirates Team New Zealand would cement its place as a powerhouse in the long history of the contest with the first modern-era hat-trick by a single team, following back-to-back wins in 2017 and 2021.