Kiwis Clinch Cup Berth

If the America’s Cup leaves America this year, it will go to New Zealand, not back to Australia.

Team New Zealand sailed into the America’s Cup final using its speedy Black Magic 1 to finally crush the effort of John Bertrand’s oneAustralia.

Black Magic 1 defeated its TransTasman Sea rival by 2 minutes, 13 seconds to win the best-of-nine Louis Vuitton Cup challenger finals 5-1.

The U.S. fleet, meanwhile, is no closer to determining the defender. Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes beat PACT 95’s Young America by 45 seconds to regain a share of the lead with four races left in the round-robin finals.

Stars & Stripes and Young America are tied with four points apiece. Mighty Mary, sailed by America3’s mostly women’s team, has three points.