America’s Cup: New Zealand extend lead to 3-0 over Great Britain

New Zealand stretched their lead to 3-0 over Great Britain in the America’s Cup before racing was abandoned on Sunday.

Trailing 2-0 after Saturday’s races, Ben Ainslie’s Ineos Britannia team were penalised in the third for failing to keep clear of Emirates Team New Zealand after Peter Burling’s aggressive manoeuvre in the pre-start.

Burling said it was “uncomfortable” how close the boats came but was pleased to “execute” what his team had been working on.

Britain’s penalty forced them to fall 75m behind New Zealand and hand the defending champions an early lead.

“It was obviously a port-starboard and we thought we were keeping clear but the umpires didn’t see it that way,” said four-time Olympic champion Ainslie.

Britain, competing in the America’s Cup for the first time since 1964, threatened to overtake during an early tacking duel but New Zealand held off their challenge before sailing clear.

Race four in the best-of-13 series was abandoned because of low winds off the coast of Barcelona and is now set to take place on Monday.

New Zealand, winners in 2017 and 2021, need to win another four points in the first to seven match to claim a third consecutive title.

Britain have never won the America’s Cup in its 173-year history but Ainslie said his team had to remain “upbeat”, adding there was still a “long way to go”.

“We’ve just got to keep pushing hard,” he added.