Clearly, the Government feels pressured to rush into funding another America's Cup bid.

Emirates Team New Zealand were treated to a heroes welcome today, as Auckland city turn on the kiwi pride at Shed 10. Skipper Dean Barker said "today more than any other time, I think...I can honestly say this is the proudest I've ever been to be a New Zealander"

Steven Joyce has told Team New Zealand that the Government stands ready to be part of its next America's Cup challenge.

Thousands of loyal Emirates Team New Zealand fans are expected to turn out for the crew's official welcome home event tomorrow.

Dean Barker says a decision about the Team NZ's involvement in the next America's Cup challenge must be made before sailors are poached.

Team New Zealand crew members are back on home soil and say the support they got from Kiwis during the Cup campaign was 'humbling'.

I was told Team New Zealand would not win because Larry Ellison "does not lose". As though that was bad in a competition, or unusual when two rich men fight over something.

The old yachting romantics told me there's nothing like the first leg of the first race of the America's Cup.

Here's how it might have gone down. This is entirely fictionalised and based on a lot of the talk buzzing round America's Cup circles right now.

Internet millionaire Kim Dotcom has vowed to help pay for Team New Zealand's next America's Cup campaign if the Government doesn't stump up funding.

Grant Dalton and Dean Barker reflect upon when they realised that the America's Cup was lost to Oracle and why they were beaten after such a promising start to the finals.

The America's Cup remains in the USA, Oracle Team USA have sportingly praised the fantastic effort and challenge from Dean Barker and Team NZ.

Fans & supporters turned out in numbers everyday at Auckland's waterfront, Shed 10. The emotion & faith was always strong, watching, waiting but to no avail. Oracle clenching the win in race 19 of the 34th America's Cup.

"It's very hard to swallow." The first words from losing Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker, coupled with his ashen face, showed the pain of top level international sport. Barker and Grant Dalton reflect on the last three years and today's disappointment. courtesy America's Cup.

It was winner take all. And Oracle Team USA took it. Read how they did it, here.

Each morning Lisa Sutton heads down to Shed 10 to watch the racing in her red socks, a flag round her shoulders and a bottle of cold champagne.

There seems little chance of a legal challenge if Oracle Team USA are pipped at the post in their America's Cup comeback today.

As painful as the last week has been for most Kiwis following the events in San Francisco, it hurts even more to know that nobody in the United States seems to care.

Team NZ can still win the Cup. They still need the same recipe - and are still perfectly capable of following it: predict the weather perfectly, mode the boat perfectly, win the start, be first to the bottom mark, cover the opposition's every move, sail perfectly. That's a lot of "perfectlys" but this is a team capable of perfection. But that one race is proving chillingly elusive.

Team NZ is fighting for its very existence after this morning's disastrous losses to Oracle, speaking at the post-race press conference skipper Dean Barker vows 'We will fight to the end'.

Team NZ is fighting for its very existence after this morning's disastrous losses to Oracle, as future funding looks increasingly in doubt.

Oracle won both races this morning to pull level with Team New Zealand on the America's Cup scoreboard.

While the skipper of Team New Zealand is utterly determined to bring the Auld Mug home.

New Zealanders will support their taxpayer dollars going towards any America's Cup defence - but Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says such talk is premature.

There are two races set down for today - that's if the arcane rules governing this regatta permit two races to be held.

Team NZ still need that one precious race win, while Oracle now need three to successfully defend the America's Cup. Skippers Barker and Spithill are both confident that the America's Cup will be theirs.

He was considered Team New Zealand's lucky charm earlier in the regatta, but team boss Grant Dalton has curiously been left out of the crew for the past four days of racing.

OTUSA have now won the last four races to be sailed in a row. Team NZ were leading the last three races to be called off. Oracle's downwind and reaching speed became starkly clear. They have a faster boat downwind and, as there are two downwind legs, their advantage by a couple of knots is significant.