3.45pm
Sweden's bid for the America's Cup ended on the Hauraki Gulf today as Victory Challenge went down to Prada of Italy by one minute 37 seconds.
Any chances the Swedes may have had of getting back into the race were effectively dashed on the fifth leg when a shackle broke and
Victory had to pull their headsail down.
It took around three minutes to fix the damage, during which the Swedes' yacht SWE-73 slowed down and the Italians were able to sail away for a 4-0 win in the best of seven elimination series.
Even without that drama Prada was in control, having been clearly in the lead from the first mark which they rounded 15sec ahead.
Victory went into this quarterfinal repechage series with a change at the helm, bringing Magnus Holmberg on to replace Jesper Bank.
During much of today's first leg the boats were neck and neck, and it was not until they closed on the first mark that Prada were able to open an advantage.
The result put Prada into the semifinals of this Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series for the America's Cup.
Dennis Conner's hopes of keeping his team in the competition are now up to the cup's legal bodies after Stars and Stripes lost to OneWorld today by 1min.
While Stars and Stripes and Prada seek to have OneWorld disqualified, the Seattle team today sealed their repechage 4-0.
OneWorld led through most of the race but for much of the first five legs they were rarely more than two or three boat lengths ahead.
As the boats rounded the fifth mark, with Stars and Stripes still close enough to launch an attack downwind to the finish, Team Dennis Conner looked to deliver the knockout punch to themselves.
Perhaps it was a case of nerves, but Stars and Stripes' spinnaker flopped out as they came around the buoy, touching the mark and earning them a penalty turn.
Team Dennis Conner crossed the line about 26sec behind OneWorld, but the margin was extended as they then carried out their penalty turn.
- NZPA
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
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