A Northlander whose son-in-law is part of the victorious Emirates Team New Zealand missed out on the final race as weather swings in San Francisco altered the final match schedule.
Sandra Easterbrook flew into Auckland yesterday morning before learning the Kiwis finished the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series with an emphatic 7-1 margin to set up the ultimate America's Cup grudge match against defending champion and bitter rival Oracle Team USA.
Team NZ zipped through a thick fog and past Italy's Luna Rossa yesterday to advance to the premier event on September 7.
Ms Easterbrook's son in law, Chris McAsey, is a grinder on the team's AC72, and is joined by his wife Suzy and their daughters Brooke and Billie.
"We'd hoped they'd win the Cup on Saturday and we'd see the celebration but the weather plays such a part in the whole scenario," she said.