Jimmy Spithill may be able to lead Team Oracle USA back into the game and hold on to the America's Cup. Race 14 and 15 (if necessary) of the world's most famous and oldest sailboat racing competition are scheduled for 1:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. PT. They will be televised live on NBC Sports Network nationally and replays can be watched internationally online at America's Cup Youtube channel for free.
Riding the excessive winds effectively, the Emirates Team New Zealand had a massive lead over Team Oracle USA in the San Francisco Bay until Race 12, but the Kiwis lost their chance to take hold of the trophy yesterday at Race 13, when their sails caught little wind and were unable to complete the 12.4-mile course under the 40-minute time limit. Team Oracle USA then passed the Kiwis, gaining a penalty on them in the process, and sped away to a 1:24 victory, the largest of this series.
"We felt very lucky, but also felt for the Kiwi guys, said Ben Ainslie, Oracle Team USA tactician said at yesterday afternoon's press conference. "We've all been in a position where you have a hand on the trophy and have to come back and do it all again. We felt fortunate. We've had a rough time so we'll ride our luck with that one."
"Luck's a great thing. Luck beats skill every time," said Emirates Team New Zealand tactician Ray Davies. "The odds are firmly in our favor at the moment. We have to go and execute like the first race (yesterday). We have to go out with the same sort of thinking."
Both teams are competing in the 72-foot catamarans AC72, which are among the fastest, most sophisticated, most expensive sailboats ever built.
The AC72s are capable of reaching nearly 50 miles per hour while flying feet above the water on thin underwater foil, called daggerboards, which lift the boats out of the water, reducing drag and increasing speed, according to TIME.
Thousands of Kiwis or New Zealanders have crowded the docks in San Francisco to cheer on their countrymen for the 162-year old competition.
Billionaire Oracle mogul Larry Ellison's team won the American's Cup in 2010. He is reportedly to have spent an estimated $100 million on the American team, but the Oracle Team USA is on the verge of losing the America's Cup.
America's Cup Race 13 Replay Video:
