The 34th America's Cup, held in 2013 on San Francisco Bay, delivered one of the most dramatic comebacks in the event's long history. Oracle Team USA, the defender, faced Emirates Team New Zealand in a best-of-17 series. Despite Team New Zealand building a commanding 8-1 lead, Oracle Team USA mounted an unprecedented rally, ultimately winning the Cup by a score of 9-8. This edition of the America's Cup was notable not only for its thrilling conclusion
but also for having the longest race schedule ever, in terms of both days and number of races, and it was the first since the 25th America's Cup to see both teams reach a match point situation.
Early Dominance by Team New Zealand
From the outset, Team New Zealand, skippered by Dean Barker, showed strong performance. The 34th America's Cup began in stark contrast to the one-sided races that characterized the preceding 2013 Louis Vuitton Cup, which Team New Zealand had won to earn the right to challenge. In the very first race, Team New Zealand led at the first mark and maintained their lead through the second leg, which was the first downwind leg, to win by 15 seconds. They continued this strong start, winning the second race by 52 seconds, establishing an early 0-2 lead in the overall score.
Day two saw Oracle Team USA, with Jimmy Spithill as skipper, attempt aggressive tactics. In race three, Oracle successfully drew a penalty against Team New Zealand. However, a pivotal moment occurred when Barker brought the New Zealand boat back on port tack within three boat lengths of the boundary. Oracle was forced to tack away, despite having starboard right-of-way, allowing Team New Zealand to secure a 28-second victory and extend their lead to 0-3. Race four saw Oracle win by 8 seconds, but due to a pre-existing penalty imposed by an international jury, they did not score a point, leaving Team New Zealand still 3 points ahead.
Oracle's Struggle and Strategic Changes
Oracle's early struggles continued, losing race five by over a minute. Following this, they used their "Postponement Card" to call off the scheduled second race of the day. By the end of day three, Team New Zealand held a dominant 0-4 lead. Day four brought significant changes for Oracle. John Kostecki, their tactician, was replaced by Sir Ben Ainslie, the skipper of Oracle's backup boat. Despite these changes, Team New Zealand continued their winning streak, taking races six and seven, closing the day with a commanding 0-6 lead. In race eight, Team New Zealand nearly capsized due to a lack of hydraulic power, allowing Oracle to win and finally score their first point, making the score 1-6. This victory also completed the penalty imposed by the International Jury, meaning Oracle could now accrue points for subsequent wins.
The Unprecedented Comeback Begins
Oracle's momentum began to shift. They won race nine, marking their first consecutive victories and bringing the score to 1-6. Team New Zealand responded by winning race ten in what was described as one of the most competitive races of the series, pushing their lead to 1-7. On day eight, Team New Zealand won race eleven by 15 seconds, reaching match point with a score of 1-8. At this stage, Oracle Team USA needed to win eight consecutive races to defend the Cup.
However, Oracle's performance dramatically improved. They won race twelve, bringing the score to 2-8. Despite weather delays and abandoned races, Oracle continued their winning streak. They secured race thirteen, making the score 3-8. Day twelve saw Oracle win both races fourteen and fifteen, bringing the score to 5-8. Their winning streak continued on day thirteen with a victory in race sixteen, making it 6-8. On day fourteen, Oracle won races seventeen and eighteen, tying the series at 8-8 and forcing a winner-take-all final race. This remarkable turnaround, from an 8-1 deficit to an 8-8 tie, showcased an extraordinary display of skill, strategy, and resilience, culminating in Oracle Team USA's historic 9-8 victory.
