The 34th America's Cup is becoming more interesting each passing day as Emirates Team New Zealand looks to land the knockout blow on the resilient Oracle Team USA squad on the 10th day of racing at San Francisco Bay.
With a commanding 8-2 lead in the race-to-9 America's Cup Final series, Emirates Team New Zealand is one victory away from claiming their third America's Cup victory. However, Emirates skipper Dean Barker is aware that there's still no room for them to commit costly errors, or else Oracle Team USA could find their way back into the series.
On Thursday, Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill and his crew exhibited incredible will power in winning Race No.12 by 31 seconds and force another adrenaline-pumping race. And it looks like fortune is starting to switch sides after strong winds and huge ebb forced organizers to move Race No. 13 to another day, giving Oracle Team USA more time to adjust for another nail-biting battle on Friday.
Emirates Team New Zealand will be fielding almost the same personnel for Race No. 13 and No. 14, except Grant Dalton, who will be replaced by Winston MacFarlane on Pedestal 3. America's Cup commentator Gary Jobson considered Dalton as the lucky charm for the Kiwis and his absence for upcoming races might give some of the followers some scare.
Crew List for Race Nos. 13 and 14 - Courtesy of America's Cup
ORACLE TEAM USA Crew List
Skipper: Jimmy Spithill (9), Tactician: Ben Ainslie (12), Strategist: Tom Slingsby (10), Wing trimmer: Kyle Langford (8), Jib trimmer: Joe Newton (5), Off-side trimmer: Rome Kirby (4), Grinders: Shannon Falcone (1), Joe Spooner (2), Jono MacBeth (3), Gillo Nobili (6), Simeon Tienpont (7)
Emirates Team New Zealand Crew List
Skipper/helmsman: Dean Barker (14), Tactician: Ray Davies (10), Wing Trimmer: Glenn Ashby (3), Trimmer: James Dagg (9), Bow: Adam Beashel (2), Pit: Jeremy Lomas (8), Pedestal 1: Chris Ward (7), Pedestal 2: Rob Waddell (11), Pedestal 3: Winston MacFarlane (4), Pedestal 4: Chris McAsey (5), Float/Grinder: Derek Saward (12)
Schedule & Live Streaming Information
Race No. 13 of America's Cup 2013 is set to start at 4:15 p.m EST / 1:30 p.m. PST. If Oracle Team USA wins the first race of the day, Race 14 will most likely begin at 5:30 p.m. EST / 2:30 p.m. PST. Wind forecast is still light to moderate for race No.13 while tidal influence is expected to be lesser on Friday's second race.
NBC Sports will cover both races starting 4 p.m. EST/ 1 p.m. PST while international followers can watch the livestream coverage and replay of the races on America's Cup's official Youtube Channel.
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