America’s Cup: How British media reacted to Ineos Britannia’s 4-0 hole against Team New Zealand

Ineos Britannia arriving in the harbour after losing race four of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona. Photo / Photosport

How the British media reacted to the first three days of the America’s Cup, where Team New Zealand have taken a commanding 4-0 lead over Ineos Britannia.

Ineos’s festering fury at umpires rubs salt into Ben Ainslie’s wounds

Rick Broadbent, The Times

“As a chase boat ferried Sir Ben Ainslie from the scene of another body blow in his suffering shot at history, his face was as frozen as an old figurehead. He was perhaps wondering just how he could prick the buoyant mood coursing through Emirates Team New Zealand. At 4-0 down, Ineos Britannia could be facing “match point” in the America’s Cup by the end of sailing on Wednesday, and it is now a race against dwindling time to stop the bleeding. The fourth race in this duel was better from Ainslie and his crew, but a festering sense of grievance is spreading. There is no doubt New Zealand have been faster and sharper so far, but after getting hit by a decisive penalty on Sunday, Ineos this time found two close-cross protests ignored by the umpires.

“The Sir Jim Ratcliffe-funded operation is facing a mighty Kiwi boat and a crack team, led by a skipper who has now won more America’s Cup races than anyone and who is also proving happy to toss a barb at his rivals. Answering questions about the previous day’s race, when New Zealand got the better of the fierce jostling for position and a much-disputed umpires’ decision, Peter Burling said: ‘If they leave themselves open we are going to take the opportunities, and they have been doing that for quite a while. It’s something we studied and are going to take advantage of’.

“So what can Ineos do? No structural changes are permitted at this stage, so the tweaks come from running the data and models. Mon admitted one gybe could have been executed better and that there were metres to be gained in every manoeuvre. There was also a bit more to come in straight-line performance. The sailing needs to be flawless if any technical tweaks are to deliver winning gains. Perhaps the real test will come from an authority even higher than the umpires.”

GB hit out at ‘inconsistent umpiring’ after going 4-0 down to New Zealand

Tom Cary, Telegraph

“Ineos Britannia hit out at ‘inconsistent umpiring’ after going 4-0 down to New Zealand in the 37th America’s Cup match on Monday, saying they still cannot understand why they were penalised in the pre-start to race three on Sunday and insisting the Kiwis ‘put the two yachts at risk’.

“The penalty, for a port-starboard incident, effectively cost Ineos Britannia any chance they had in that race, and skipper Ben Ainslie was absolutely furious afterwards, questioning the umpire’s call and then swearing at Kiwi commentator Stephen McIvor off-camera for a perceived slight.”

Team New Zealand have All Blacks-level self-belief

Stephen Burgen, The Guardian

“With racing due to resume on Wednesday, they have a day to think about how to turn it around against a New Zealand crew who seem supremely composed and at ease. They exude that same self-belief we have seen over the years from the All Blacks, the sense it is not just the will to win but a mindset that does not entertain the possibility of losing.

“However, despite a four-race lead in the best of 13 competition, the New Zealand team won’t relax until the job is done. They will not have forgotten how in 2013 they led 8-1 in a 17-race series before the US team came back to win the next eight races.

“The boat that beat them was the Oracle and the tactician was none other than Ainslie.”