Family misses Team NZ win

Team NZ grinder Chris McAsey training in Whangarei ahead of travelling to San Francisco with Team NZ for the America's Cup. Photo / John Stone

A Northlander whose son-in-law is part of the victorious Emirates Team New Zealand missed out on the final race as weather swings in San Francisco altered the final match schedule.

Sandra Easterbrook flew into Auckland yesterday morning before learning the Kiwis finished the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series with an emphatic 7-1 margin to set up the ultimate America's Cup grudge match against defending champion and bitter rival Oracle Team USA.

Team NZ zipped through a thick fog and past Italy's Luna Rossa yesterday to advance to the premier event on September 7.

Ms Easterbrook's son in law, Chris McAsey, is a grinder on the team's AC72, and is joined by his wife Suzy and their daughters Brooke and Billie.

"We'd hoped they'd win the Cup on Saturday and we'd see the celebration but the weather plays such a part in the whole scenario," she said.

Ms Easterbrook travelled to the US and returned to New Zealand with Mr McAsey's mother Brenda from Taranaki.

It was her first overseas experience of the race. "We could sit and watch some of the races from the 11-storey apartment that Chris and Suzy are in but there were two other venues - the Marina Green and the America's Cup Park where you could see the finish line," she said.

"These (boats) are racing machines ... the technology is mind-boggling and the best thing is people have suddenly become aware of its popularity."

Ms Easterbrook said her family was really proud of Mr McAsey's achievements.

Team New Zealand was like a huge family with the level of support it got from Kiwis, both from those that travelled from New Zealand as well as expatriates, she said. There were more Kiwis cheering on the sidelines than Italians and others during the races, she added.