There are comebacks -- and then there are comebacks.

As the stars and stripes billowed in the San Francisco wind, Oracle Team USA produced one of the most monumental triumphs in sporting history.

For a team which had stared into the abyss, trailing 8-1 at one stage, Oracle did what nobody outside of its catamaran believed it could do.

Oracle, which defeated the Swiss team Alinghi three years ago, held onto its title when it seemed certain to suffer one of the most humiliating defeats the America's Cup had ever seen.

"It had everything," said Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill told Sky Sports.

"It was fantastic. We wouldn't have had it any other way. The guys showed so much heart."

Backed by billionaire Larry Ellison, who owns a 25% in Oracle, the team pulled off a fairytale ending which money just cannot buy.

The 69-year-old, whose personal fortune is estimated at $41 billion by Forbes Magazine, boarded the boat to take part in the celebrations following a titanic tussle.

The America's Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport -- but rarely has sailing's pinnacle event ever been so dramatic.

It speaks volumes that even those who had barely heard of the event last week suddenly became hooked on a race which has been going since 1851.

And yet this contest should have been all over before Wednesday's fantastic finale with Emirates Team New Zealand having stormed into an 8-1 lead.

In fact, the challenger should have wrapped up the title with victory in race 13 only for it to be abandoned with its yacht just two minutes from the finish line because of a time limit rule.

When the race was rescheduled, Oracle Team USA picked up the win which kept its hopes of a historic comeback alive.

Only on two occasions has the destination of the trophy been unknown going into the final race of the competition.