Emirates Team New Zealand posted their third-straight victory over Italy’s Luna Rossa Tuesday to win the round robin portion of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
The win in San Francisco Bay also moves the Kiwis another step closer to taking on the defending America’s Cup champion Oracle Team USA in September.
New Zealand completed the 15.43-nautical-mile course in 46 minutes, 53 seconds and won the race by a DNF after the Italians failed to finish within five minutes.
New Zealand’s 22-meter catamaran reached a maximum speed of 76.2 km/h (41.16 knots) in a race held in a southwest wind of 15 to 17 knots.
Luna Rossa finished seven minutes, 14 seconds adrift of the Kiwis.
They had been steadily closing the gap against Team New Zealand, but Luna Rossa seemed to struggle at times on Tuesday.
Even before the race began, the Italians were forced to fix a damaged rudder.
New Zealand has earned the right to choose whether they advance directly to the Louis Vuitton Cup final or pick their opponent for the semi-finals.
The team did not immediately reveal which way it would go.
The semi-finals will take place August 6-15 with the final to be held August 17-30.
Kiwis win round robin of Louis Vuitton Cup
