New Zealand began the eighth match in the best-of-17 Cup finals with a lead over Oracle, but in a maneuver during an upward leg skipper Dean Barker briefly lost control when the boat's hydraulically controlled, 135-foot-tall wing sail got stuck. The AC72 catamaran teetered on one hull for several seconds before dropping back in the water.
That gave Oracle a chance to get out in front and it went on to win the race by 52 seconds, just its second victory in the 17-match series in San Francisco Bay.
"We didn't get the hydraulics and if the wing doesn't tack when the boat does, you're in trouble," Barker said. "Fortunately the boat came up and no collision with the other guys."
Due to rising winds, organizers abandoned a second scheduled race, which New Zealand had been winning.
Aggressive tactics and solidly executed maneuvers have helped the Kiwis dominate racing since the final series of races for the 162-year old trophy began last week. Barring a catastrophic misstep by New Zealand, which its near-capsize easily could have become, experts say Oracle has little chance of catching up.
The Kiwis, backed by the New Zealand government, have scored six victories against Oracle and need only three more to win. The next two races are scheduled for Sunday.
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