New Zealand opens up 3-0 lead over Britain in America’s Cup final after almost crashing

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Emirates Team New Zealand avoided a crash and nailed INEOS Britannia with a penalty as it opened up a 3-0 lead in the first-to-seven wins finals of the America’s Cup on Sunday.

Britain was hit with a 75-meter penalty for not keeping clear when the two boats came feet from colliding in the pre-start jockeying for position in Race 3. The Kiwis’ Taihoro foiling yacht cruised through the six laps and won by 52 seconds.

Now the challenger that is backed by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe and the design expertise of the Mercedes Formula 1 team must rebound big if it wants to win Britain’s first ever America’s Cup in its 173-year history.

For the Kiwis, they are four wins away.

“We’re only three races into it but we are obviously happy to be on this side of the scorecard. I think tomorrow (Race 4) will be a pretty important day,” New Zealand helmsman Nathan Outteridge said. “Once you nudge that one forward and get over the halfway stage to seven, maybe the momentum goes a bit that way.”

New Zealand skipper Peter Burling said that they had planned to steer aggressively in the pre-start, and it paid off. They had the right of way being the windward boat when they bore down on the Brits before turning late, and the Britannia was a tad slow to react as their foils almost touched.

“We tried it yesterday but they just got past us. It was a little bit uncomfortable to be honest with how close the boats got,” Burling said about the maneuver. "But the umpire obviously thought we were pretty clear there, so it was great to get the penalty and control the race from there.”

Britannia was more than 600 meters behind when the lead boat crossed the finish line off the Barcelona beachfront.

“It was about as close as you ever want to get. I think our foils overlapped and thankfully they didn’t collide,” Britannia skipper Ben Ainslie said about the near collision and penalty. “It was a tough call for us and obviously the umpires decided we were at fault and it put us on the back foot off the line. It is what it is, no point in moaning about it.”

“For us it is time to regroup and take on the second half of the competition,” the record Olympic medalist said.

Britannia largely avoided any costly mistakes and technical mishaps, until now.

On Saturday, Britannia was hampered by a battery meltdown just minutes before Race 1. New Zealand dominated both the opening regattas to make a perfect 2-0 start.

New Zealand is trying to win the Auld Mug, the oldest trophy in international sport, for a third straight time and fifth overall.

As defender, New Zealand was guaranteed a spot in the final. Britain had to fend off four other challengers to make its first final in six decades.

Despite not having raced competitively for a month, the Kiwis have shown they are still very much in championship form.

Race 4 had been scheduled for later Sunday, but it was pushed back to Monday after winds died down below the 6.5-knot minimum. Other than early in Race 2 when there were several lead changes, the Brits have been in the wake of the Kiwis — or even further behind.

A couple thousand local residents held a protest against the hosting of the America’s Cup near the old port where the team bases and fan zones are located on Sunday.

Some locals link the hosting of international events like the regatta with the already huge presence of tourists in the Mediterranean city. They argue that tourists fuel skyrocketing rents via short-term rentals of apartments and that many areas of the city now cater far too much to tourist appetites and interests.

Barcelona calculates the two-month event will attract some 2.5 million tourists and contribute more than a billion euros ($1.09 billion) to the city. Local authorities say that this type of event is exactly the kind of so-called “quality tourism” that the city needs.

Several thousand people turned out to celebrate the opening ceremony of the America's Cup finals last week.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

Ineos Britannia skipper Ben Ainslie, center, talks to the crew during the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Emirates Team New Zealand crew prepares for the race during the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Emirates Team New Zealand crew prepares for the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Ineos Britannia skipper Ben Ainslie, center santds before the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Peter Burling stands before the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue

Demonstrators march shouting slogans against the holding of the America's Cup sailing competition, during a protest demanding the right to housing, in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Supporters of America's Cup wave from a restaurant as demonstrators march shouting slogans against the holding of the America's Cup sailing competition, during a protest demanding the right to housing, in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Ineos Britannia races during the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Ineos Britannia and Emirates Team New Zealand race during the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Ineos Britannia and Emirates Team New Zealand race during the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Ineos Britannia and Emirates Team New Zealand race during the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Ineos Britannia and Emirates Team New Zealand race during the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Ineos Britannia and Emirates Team New Zealand race during the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 2 race in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

BEIRUT (AP) — The U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon said that Israeli tanks “forcibly entered” one of their positions early Sunday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded they leave the area.

International criticism is growing after Israeli forces have repeatedly fired on U.N. peacekeepers since the start of its ground operation in Lebanon. Five peacekeepers have been wounded in recent days.

As Israel escalates its ground invasion against Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon, the 10,000-strong peacekeeping force is increasingly in the crosshairs, highlighting its fragility.

Relations have worsened between Israel and the United Nations over the way Israel has conducted its war in Gaza. In an unprecedented move, Israel earlier this month said the U.N. secretary-general was persona non grata in Israel, signaling a new low.

On Sunday, Netanyahu called for UNIFIL to heed Israel’s warnings to evacuate, accusing them of “providing a human shield” to Hezbollah.

Here’s a look at the U.N. force and the latest developments:

The U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon was created in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops after Israel invaded and occupied southern Lebanon. Israel invaded again in 1982, and it wasn't until 2000 that it withdrew.

In the absence of an agreed-upon border, the U.N. drew up a boundary between Lebanon and Israel known as the Blue Line, which UNIFIL monitors and patrols.

The United Nations expanded UNIFIL’s mission following the monthlong 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border to monitor the cessation of hostilities and patrol a buffer zone along the border.

The force currently has around 10,000 peacekeepers in southern Lebanon drawn from around 50 countries. They patrol, monitor and report violations of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 fighting. The force also provides support to local communities.

Tensions have been mounting since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon earlier this month. Israel asked UNIFIL to move its personnel further north, and the peacekeeping force refused.

On Thursday, UNIFIL said an Israeli tank “directly” fired on its headquarters in the town of Naqoura, knocking down an observation tower and injuring two Indonesian peacekeepers, who were hospitalized. It said its headquarters and nearby positions “have been repeatedly hit” and that Israel “deliberately” fired on and disabled the headquarters’ monitoring cameras. It also said the Israeli army fired on a nearby bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering.

On Friday, UNIFIL said new explosions hit its headquarters, injuring two peacekeepers, although it did not directly blame Israel. It also said an Israeli army bulldozer hit the perimeter of another position in southern Lebanon while Israeli tanks moved nearby.

On Saturday, UNIFIL said its headquarters in Naqoura was hit again, with a peacekeeper struck by gunfire late Friday and in stable condition. It wasn’t clear who fired.

The attacks have drawn global condemnation. Italy, which has about 1,000 soldiers deployed in southern Lebanon, and France summoned the Israeli ambassadors in protest. Italy's defense minister said the attacks were possible “war crimes.”

On Sunday, UNIFIL said two Israeli tanks broke into a UNIFIL base and later fired smoke rounds near peacekeepers in that location. It said 15 U.N. peacekeepers had skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions. The Israeli troops requested that peacekeepers turn the lights off and stayed for 45 minutes, putting the mission in danger, the statement said.

The Israeli army has expressed deep concern over Thursday's incident and said it is conducting a thorough review at the highest levels of command. On Friday, it said its soldiers were responding with fire to an immediate threat against them. It didn't respond to questions Saturday.

On Sunday, Israel’s military said that a tank trying to evacuate wounded soldiers backed into a U.N. post while under fire. It said a smoke screen was used to provide cover.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an army spokesman, asserted that Israel has only aimed at Hezbollah, and said Israel has tried to maintain constant contact with UNIFIL. He said any instance of U.N. forces being harmed are investigated at “the highest level.”

The military has asserted that Hezbollah operates in the vicinity of the peacekeepers, without providing evidence.

“We regret the injury to the UNIFIL soldiers, and we are doing everything in our power to prevent this injury," Netanyahu said Sunday. "But the simple and obvious way to ensure this is simply to get them out of the danger zone,” he added in a video addressed to the U.N. secretary-general.

Israel has long accused the United Nations of being biased against it, and relations have plunged further since the start of the war in Gaza.

Israel's demands for the peacekeepers to evacuate the border area and move north would effectively impede the force from doing its mission.

The U.N. peacekeeping chief, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, told the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that UNIFIL wouldn't evacuate its personnel, but because of air and ground attacks it can't conduct patrols.

He said that UNIFIL operations have virtually come to a halt since late September, when Israel expanded its campaign against Hezbollah in the south. He added that the security environment has also presented challenges for the resupply of fuel, food and water for U.N. positions.

Later Thursday, Lacroix said 300 peacekeepers in front-line positions had been temporarily moved to larger bases, and that plans to move another 200 will depend on security conditions. He said UNIFIL had decided to reduce its footprint “at the most affected U.N. positions by 25%.”

On Oct. 3, he told reporters that in some places in southern Lebanon, the number of peacekeepers had been reduced by about 20%.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto meets the media during a press conference about the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, in Rome Thursday Oct. 10 2024. (Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse via AP)

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, center, General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, left, and General Giovanni Maria Iannucci meet the media during a press conference about the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, in Rome Thursday Oct. 10 2024. (Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse via AP)

FILE - UN peacekeepers hold their flag, as they observe Israeli excavators attempt to destroy tunnels built by Hezbollah, near the southern Lebanese-Israeli border village of Mays al-Jabal, Lebanon, Dec. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)