The old yachting romantics told me there's nothing like the first leg of the first race of the America's Cup.

Government funding for another America's Cup bid could depend on what sort of regatta is held and where it takes place, Steven Joyce says.

John Key took to the stage at the United Nations General Assembly yesterday with an old message, made urgent by the crisis in Syria.

Here's how it might have gone down. This is entirely fictionalised and based on a lot of the talk buzzing round America's Cup circles right now.

Internet millionaire Kim Dotcom has vowed to help pay for Team New Zealand's next America's Cup campaign if the Government doesn't stump up funding.

Grant Dalton and Dean Barker reflect upon when they realised that the America's Cup was lost to Oracle and why they were beaten after such a promising start to the finals.

The America's Cup remains in the USA, Oracle Team USA have sportingly praised the fantastic effort and challenge from Dean Barker and Team NZ.

Fans & supporters turned out in numbers everyday at Auckland's waterfront, Shed 10. The emotion & faith was always strong, watching, waiting but to no avail. Oracle clenching the win in race 19 of the 34th America's Cup.

"It's very hard to swallow." The first words from losing Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker, coupled with his ashen face, showed the pain of top level international sport. Barker and Grant Dalton reflect on the last three years and today's disappointment. courtesy America's Cup.

There seems little chance of a legal challenge if Oracle Team USA are pipped at the post in their America's Cup comeback today.

As painful as the last week has been for most Kiwis following the events in San Francisco, it hurts even more to know that nobody in the United States seems to care.

Team NZ can still win the Cup. They still need the same recipe - and are still perfectly capable of following it: predict the weather perfectly, mode the boat perfectly, win the start, be first to the bottom mark, cover the opposition's every move, sail perfectly. That's a lot of "perfectlys" but this is a team capable of perfection. But that one race is proving chillingly elusive.

Team NZ is fighting for its very existence after this morning's disastrous losses to Oracle, speaking at the post-race press conference skipper Dean Barker vows 'We will fight to the end'.

Team NZ is fighting for its very existence after this morning's disastrous losses to Oracle, as future funding looks increasingly in doubt.

Oracle won both races this morning to pull level with Team New Zealand on the America's Cup scoreboard.

While the skipper of Team New Zealand is utterly determined to bring the Auld Mug home.

Team NZ still need that one precious race win, while Oracle now need three to successfully defend the America's Cup. Skippers Barker and Spithill are both confident that the America's Cup will be theirs.

He was considered Team New Zealand's lucky charm earlier in the regatta, but team boss Grant Dalton has curiously been left out of the crew for the past four days of racing.

OTUSA have now won the last four races to be sailed in a row. Team NZ were leading the last three races to be called off. Oracle's downwind and reaching speed became starkly clear. They have a faster boat downwind and, as there are two downwind legs, their advantage by a couple of knots is significant.

At the post race press conference, it was an audible murmur of disapproval that accompanied the NZ journalist question comparing past All Black failures at World Cups to a possible Team NZ loss at the America's Cup.

Fans & supporters are not losing the faith after Team NZ were defeated in two races in a row to take Oracle 5-8 as we move to race 16 & 17 on the 17th day of the 34 America's Cup, the longest in the history for a team to claim the auld mug.

My daughters sang this when they were small and "it just goes on and on, my friends", just like the 34th America's Cup.

Eden Park provokes both reactions - a traditional love of the place and dislike sparked by the belief that it is out-moded and poorly located.

The 34th America's Cup is a made-for-TV event. And boy, do TV networks hate it when a not-so-high-rating sport botches the schedule.

Variations on the "Are they racing?" inquiry infested my household at the weekend.

Team NZ fans & supporters were once again disappointed after racing was postponed due to weather conditions. The faithful stay strong and amidst the disappointment and frustration, most feel it only delays the inevitable and tomorrow could bring a promising result.

Relive all the 'action' from this morning's abandoned attempt at race 14 of the 34th America's Cup.