Yachting: Lucky escape for Team NZ

Team NZ remain unbeaten in the Louis Vuitton Trophy after TeamOrigin was forced to retire today. Photo / Getty Images

Team New Zealand maintained their unbeaten start to the Louis Vuitton Trophy yachting regatta when they beat Britain's Team Origin in today's first race of the day off Auckland.

Team Origin failed to complete the course on the Waitemata Harbour, having to retire midway through with a broken spinnaker pole.

For the second race in a row, Team NZ had come from behind to edge in front before their opposition suffered gear damage.

The win takes skipper Dean Barker and his crew's record to 3-0 in the preliminary round-robin phase.

The eight-strong regatta's other unbeaten team, Italy's Azzurra, are up against French-German entry All4One this afternoon.

- NZPA