(Various photos of working in Europe with parts of Emirates Team New Zealand)New Zealand Team Pulls Ahead
June 27, 2007 Associated Press
VALENCIA, Spain -- On a day of shifting winds and swelling waves, the challenger from New Zealand took the lead Tuesday, beating defending champion Swiss Alinghi after nearly losing a crew member overboard.Emirates Team New Zealand is ahead 2-1 after prevailing in an America's Cup race that featured eight lead changes, bow-to-bow sailing and a victory margin of 25 seconds. The fourth race in the best-of-nine series for the Auld Mug, the oldest trophy in sports, is today. The last three series were decided in 5-0 sweeps.
Wind blew in all directions across the course, generating large swells and testing both teams' decision-making. By the finish, Alinghi found itself with a deficit for the first time in America's Cup racing.The race was delayed for nearly two hours because of the tricky winds, and Alinghi owner Ernesto Bertarelli said the sailing should have been postponed."I don't think the wind should decide the regatta," he said. "The competitors should decide the race on their ability. I think we raced really well, we were just a bit unlucky."New Zealand conceded the early lead to guard its advantage on the right side in the blustery conditions. The move paid off as the Kiwis took a 300-meter lead up the first upwind lap. But a poor spinnaker set around the second marker almost threw bowman Richard Meacham over the side, allowing the Swiss back into the race up the third leg.Alinghi's faster boat gained on the Kiwis to round the final marker by a boat length. But the Kiwis split to the left behind a stronger breeze, and the lead changed three times over the final run before the NZL-92 boat earned a difficult victory.After a quick start, the Swiss team sped out on the left but came back too late to keep the Kiwis from getting away. The SUI-100 yacht crashed through the whitecaps as the Kiwis bobbed up the right, slicing through the swell.
VALENCIA, Spain -- On a day of shifting winds and swelling waves, the challenger from New Zealand took the lead Tuesday, beating defending champion Swiss Alinghi after nearly losing a crew member overboard.Emirates Team New Zealand is ahead 2-1 after prevailing in an America's Cup race that featured eight lead changes, bow-to-bow sailing and a victory margin of 25 seconds. The fourth race in the best-of-nine series for the Auld Mug, the oldest trophy in sports, is today. The last three series were decided in 5-0 sweeps.
Wind blew in all directions across the course, generating large swells and testing both teams' decision-making. By the finish, Alinghi found itself with a deficit for the first time in America's Cup racing.The race was delayed for nearly two hours because of the tricky winds, and Alinghi owner Ernesto Bertarelli said the sailing should have been postponed."I don't think the wind should decide the regatta," he said. "The competitors should decide the race on their ability. I think we raced really well, we were just a bit unlucky."New Zealand conceded the early lead to guard its advantage on the right side in the blustery conditions. The move paid off as the Kiwis took a 300-meter lead up the first upwind lap. But a poor spinnaker set around the second marker almost threw bowman Richard Meacham over the side, allowing the Swiss back into the race up the third leg.Alinghi's faster boat gained on the Kiwis to round the final marker by a boat length. But the Kiwis split to the left behind a stronger breeze, and the lead changed three times over the final run before the NZL-92 boat earned a difficult victory.After a quick start, the Swiss team sped out on the left but came back too late to keep the Kiwis from getting away. The SUI-100 yacht crashed through the whitecaps as the Kiwis bobbed up the right, slicing through the swell.
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