The Kiwis Dominated Oracle in the America's Cup Match - Photo Gregory Bull, AP

If the 2013 America's Cup seemed like "The Empire Strikes Back," 2017 gave us "Return of the Kiwis." Peter Burling's Luke Skywalker vanquished Larry Ellison's Darth Vader racking up eight race wins while Oracle could manage only one. Jimmy Spithill and the Oracle crew seemed to succumb to Jedi mind tricks, losing seven of the nine starts, going OCS in two races, sailing out of bounds once, misjudging laylines both upwind and down and falling off their foils in several tacks and gybes.

Starts

The Match started out badly for Oracle when they were over the start line early in the first race.​

America's Cup Match - USA OCS in Race 1 - Image: ACTV Video

LiveLine image showing Oracle over early in the first race of the America's Cup Match

The following Saturday, Oracle was again OCS, in Race 5.

Oracle is over early again, in Race 5 of the 2017 America's Cup Match

Errors

​On Sunday, in Race 7 Oracle had good speed to weather of the Kiwis, but after an inexplicable turn upwind by Spithill, they crossed the line over a boat length behind and slower than the Kiwis.

Oracle Team USA faster and to windward in pre-start of Race 7 in the 2017 America's Cup Match

Oracle helmsman Jimmy Spithill loses speed turning upwind in pre-start of Race 7 in the 2017 America's Cup Match

Oracle is late and slow at the start of Race 7 in the 2017 America's Cup Match

​In the pre-start of Race 8 New Zealand's Peter Burling manage "to hook" Jimmy Spithill and force Oracle almost head to wind. Burling's protest was green-flagged by the umpires, but Burling was able to speed off to lead at Mark 1.

New Zealand's Peter Burling hitting the "protest" button in the pre-start of Race 8 of the 2017 America's Cup Match

ORACLE TEAM USA picks up a penalty with unforced error going out of bounds on leg 3 of Race 8 in the 2017 America's Cup Match

​Speed and boathandling

​The Kiwis closed out the Match in Race 9 with a demonstration of the boat speed and good handling that had brought them to match point. Oracle managed to win the start and led at Mark 1. The first gybe on leg 2 spelled the end for Oracle. New Zealand's no-look gybe was crisper and they edged ahead, gassing Oracle with turbulence off their wing. They extended their lead and were never threatened, speeding to win the race and claim the America's Cup.

USA leads NZL on leg 2 of Race 9 - 2017 America's Cup Match

NZL and USA gybe together on leg 2 of Race 9 - 2017 America's Cup Match

NZL leads USA on leg 2 of Race 9 - 2017 America's Cup Match