Oneworld holds off Prada in tight battle

2.45pm

Seattle-based OneWorld beat Prada of Italy by one minute, 11 seconds in a Louis Vuitton Cup yacht race in 10 to 14 knot northwesterly winds on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf today.

In the nine-team competition to find who will challenge Team New Zealand for the America's Cup, Prada was right on OneWorld's heels until well into the third leg, when the American boat started to pull away.

OneWorld's lead at the first mark was just 2sec, increasing to 9sec at the second. At the third and fourth it was 21sec, and then on the fifth leg, upwind, the Seattle team pulled a further 20sec ahead.

Winds: NW 10-14

Winning margin: 01.11

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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- NZPA