Yachting: US takes another America's Cup win over Kiwis

SAN FRANCISCO: Oracle Team USA beat Emirates Team New Zealand for the fifth America's Cup race in a row on Monday, again denying the Kiwis the victory they need to take the trophy.

The win evened the score on the water, with both teams winning eight races, but left Oracle behind two points on the scoreboard due to penalties imposed for pre-regatta violations.

If the USA wins the next race, set for Tuesday, it ratchets up the potential that the team's owner, billionaire yachtsman Larry Ellison, will launch legal battle to have the penalty overturned to claim victory in the best-of-17 regatta.

The regatta on San Francisco Bay has become the longest in the 162-year history of the America's Cup. If the USA can fend the Kiwis off three more times, it would result in a comeback arguably unprecedented in sports.

The Kiwis have been one win away from seizing the Cup from Ellison since September 18.

The Kiwis dominated the early races and seemed unstoppable until the USA hurriedly modified its catamaran and on-board crew.

The Kiwis crossed the start slightly before the defending champion in Race 16, but the Americans darted ahead and rounded the first gate with a lead of just a few seconds.

The US catamaran extended its lead slightly by the second gate and into the critical upwind leg of the race.

The Americans managed to hold a lead of more than 100 meters into a downwind leg where the Kiwis were hot on their trail.

Oracle Team USA crossed the finish 33 seconds ahead of the challengers and because light winds delayed the start of Race 16, there was no time to hold the second planned race of the day.

The Kiwis, who won six of the first seven races, led 8-1 last Wednesday with nine wins needed for the Cup but have been unable to grab the clinching victory while the hosts have mounted a thrilling comeback and need only three more wins to retain possession of the Cup.

Ellison got together with Spithill and others from the Oracle team late Sunday, according to the skipper.

The America's Cup, first contested in 1851, has been held since 2010 by Ellison.

The technology industry titan, whose personal fortune is estimated at some $40 billion (30.6 billion euros, 26.3 billion pounds) beat the giant Swiss catamaran Alinghi 2-0 three years ago in Valencia, Spain, with a 30-metre-long (98-feet) rigid wing trimaran.

Ellison brought the regatta to San Francisco, setting the scene for high-speed AC72 catamarans to race this year. (AFP)