KEY POINTS:
Every race is vital as Team New Zealand has to win the remaining three matches to the take the America's Cup.
The competition is tough and there are no more second chances. It's win tonight - or go home.
Can Team New Zealand win the next three races to take the Cup? Here is a selection of Your Views:
Dianne Langefeld
Absolutely yes ETNZ can win. The Kiwis have the intelligence, sailing experience and most of all true heart and the passion to win. Show Alinghi your true spirit. Go ETNZ!
Honest Andy (Auckland)
To Nicolas of twitzerland, so you think where the money comes is more important than the people? Then why did Ernesto Bertarelli and others keep buying up all the Kiwis? Because people are more important than just money. If Switzerland had to do it solely on Swiss nationals, they and any other nations wouldn't have a hope in hell in beating the New Zealanders in the America's Cup. All our Kiwi sailors, yacht designers, boat builders, sail makers would be back home working for us, that's where people are a better commodity than just money alone and this applies to business and everyday life. So how do like them apples? Oh, we grow the best apples in the world right here in New Zealand! Go the Team New Zealand. Kiwis kick some Swiss Kiwi butt and bring the Cup back home where it rightfully belongs.
Bubkiwi
Who cares? It's a rich mans boat race! Big deal!
Mark
I feel I must write to say that this America's Cup is making New Zealand look very bad. I am not talking about Team NZ, I am talking about New Zealander's in general. If you spend time to read any articles (including ones on this site) it looks as though we are worst losers on the planet. We complain about how other team's treat the media (Like they are weasels always trying to make NZ look bad), and about stupid thing's like taking a sail down. We are losing NZ, but we are losing a final, hold your head's up high, and for the sake of your country, if we lose (and that's a big IF, it ain't over till its over), lets lose with some class. You stay classy New Zealand.
Hotsnow (Switzerland)
In my opinion ETNZ has still a good chance. For the next race ETNZ is my favourite, because Alinghi will race as in race 2, thinking they have already won. So the key race for me would be race 8. If ETNZ would win, the "mood" of the teams would favour ETNZ for the last race. There is no big difference between the teams, so I hope there will be still some exciting races! After spending 3 great months in NZ this year I'm happy ETNZ is Alinghi's challenger, because if ETNZ would win, a team from a country with the best sailors would win. If Alinghi would win, also 6 Kiwi sailors would win ;) Even before Alinghi there were a few good Swiss sailors, but sailing was not so popular in Switzerland. Alinghi changed it.
P.S. The America's Cup reports on NZHearld.co.nz are very informative.
Honest Andy
I must respond to LV, (can TNZ still win the Cup) I can read you like a book. Loyal New Zealanders are sick and tired of people like you who defend those NZ traitors who sold themselves out to the highest bidder namely Ernesto Bertarelli, and they will do to him want they did to TNZ in 2000. You are obviously a friend or family member of one of these traitors, and that's fine. Support who ever you like, but don't knock TVNZ or any other New Zealander who want to remain loyal to ones own country. The America's Cup was originally raced, up until recently, with strict nationality rules between rival nations, and it is a crying shame for the event it changed. If it had still remained rule of the event, there would be no defections or an Ernesto Bertarelli, as Switzerland could have never won it on its own. New Zealand is a small country and we pride ourselves on doing our very best in whatever that might be, and yachting, rugby, boat building are just a few of many. So when you lose your best to a nation who basically just bought the America's Cup in 2000 that has a great effect on a nation. Ernesto maybe you could buy the All Blacks to win the Rugby World Cup in 2011 for Switzerland?
Darrin
Relax New Zealand, I have research this phenomena and discovered that the Alinghi crew were not threatening to slit your throats. It is a Swiss culture, the knife across the throat is a reference to 'drawing breath into their lungs'. I am still searching but I think I've seen another sporting team do this! Oh the irony.
Tini (Auckland)
I think Team New Zealand can do it. If Alingi can win 3 in a row, so as Team New Zealand, simple as that. Go Team New Zealand, don't look back just straight ahead, the nation is awaiting for you to return with the America's Cup.
Ted - Kiwi (New South Wales)
Why can't we do it after all we are Kiwis and we do very well considering we are only - yes that's a point - .024 per cent of the world's population. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Go The Kiwis! If the bloody Aussies did it in 83 we can do it in 07! Bring it on. "Go you good things!"
Tess
Bruce I think you'll find that in this series NZ's highest winning streak was two in a row. My opinion it's not over til the fat tactician sings! I'm not gonna write ETNZ off until that happens!
TS
I believe even if there is only a 10 per cent chance ETNZ can pull it off. Be focussed and make less mistakes and the next three races will be yours. If you can win 2 races in a row you can take the next three. Until Alinghi crossed the finishing line in the final race ETNZ should be continue to sail aggressively, defending the advantage, not give it up easily like race 5 and 6. Go New Zealand Goooooooooo.
Franke
The views of 'MC' and 'Frank' earlier were right on! And I especially hold with the view that a traitor crosses and burns the final bridge behind him for all to see - even 'Bertie'. Can ETNZ win the next three races and the Americas Cup? Hell yes! Will they? That depends on their WILL to win. The Aussies showed how it's done back in 1983. So did Dennis Conner when he won the AC back again. Some bright spark once said, good luck happens when 'opportunity meets preparation'. Grant Dalton has often discussed their strategy of breaking each race down, leg by leg, into winning tactics. Assuming ETNZ focus on reducing their tactical errors, they will automatically create opportunities (good luck). So the question is, when you get the opportunity, how do you paint an elephant? Answer: leg by leg.
Winner (Christchurch)
First and foremost - I feel very proud of what the boys have done to reach this far - full credit to them - they have abolished the demons of 2003 and if this is where it ends then so be it - they have still triumphed. But they deserve the cherry on the top - the America's Cup. Things come in 3s - so Emirates Team NZ will win the next 3 races - 7,8,9. History from past regattas have said the team who won race 3 goes on to win the Americas Cup. The number 7 that the Team NZ employee had dreamed about that he said was significant wasn't the 2-5 combination but that the number 7 race is when Team NZ will take off and win the series. Go Team NZ!
Sandra (Taupo)
We sure can win, we've won two races in a row and now we're gonna go one better and win three in a row. In all reality we should have been up 4-2, not Alinghi! So go guys, we're right behind you and I for one will be having another ACSD (America's Cup Sleep Deprivation) Day tomorrow. Red sox and NZ flag already in position beside the telly.
Swiss/Kiwi (Colorado)
Of course ETNZ can still win. The Aussies did it to Denis Connor. Is it going to happen probably not this time. But how about those people coming out of the wood works to bash ETNZ? Shame on you. ETNZ has put together a great team and done New Zealand proud. Yes they had a few incidents of bad luck, but unlike the spoiled and up-themselves guys flying under a "Swiss" flag they have not complained. Sure Alinghi has a good crew and a fast boat but they also had a few lucky breaks that put them 4-2 ahead. One thing is for sure the guys of ETNZ are a far better representation of true sportsmanship. Will be interesting to see if more money from Oracle can persuade Butterworth and his boys to defect once again? I say lets give ETNZ full credit and hope that they get a lucky break. And for those of you who feel like bashing ETNZ don't be silly!
TNZ supporter (Singapore)
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Look forward to seeing the cup in Auckland. By the way, why not hold a regatta in Singapore on the way through?
Gem
With the race at 4-2 to the Swiss (owner at least), I think that we will have to be pulling more than rabbits out of the hat to win this one. My biggest gripe with Alinghi is the fact that this is a "country" race. Alinghi are not swiss - they are bankrolled by a rich pompous ass who has too much money, who happens to be Swiss. There are more kiwis on that boat than all the other nationalities put together. I cannot believe that two of NZ's sporting legends changed teams for money - it's not like they are short of money. Do you see Dan Carter or Anton Oliver going to the Wallabies? I don't think so. You should not swap countries and play or represent their national team. I hope that Brad Butterworth and Russell Couttes loose because they are unpatriotic and they have no pride in what it means to be a Kiwi.
Melbourne
Go Team NZ. You guys can pick it up from here! Go show the world!
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