Alinghi cruises into 2-0 lead as Kiwi defenders left reeling in America’s Cup

SWISS challenger Alinghi surged from behind to narrowly beat defenders Team New Zealand yesterday in the race for yachting’s America’s Cup, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-nine series.

Team New Zealand, already reeling from a disastrous first-day loss on Saturday during which their radical new boat almost sank, led throughout most of Sunday’s race, but Alinghi powered ahead on the sixth and final leg to win by seven seconds.

It was a record 11th consecutive America’s Cup victory for Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts, a 41-year-old New Zealander who twice led his nation to America’s Cup victories before defecting to the Swiss syndicate and earning the undying enmity of many in this sailing-crazed island nation.

With New Zealand’s America’s Cup campaign deep in crisis, the two contenders will meet again for the third race on Tuesday following a rest day.

Sunday’s start was delayed by more than two hours due to light winds which contrasted with 24-knot gusts which prevailed the previous day and played havoc with Team New Zealand’s two boats, NZL-82 and its back-up NZL-81.

When the race began, Alinghi took a quick lead in moderate 10-knot winds, beating Team New Zealand to the first mark. But the Swiss then fell behind as the New Zealanders’ radical hull and keel designs appeared to favour them on the downwind legs of the 18.5 nautical mile (34 kilometer) course.

New Zealand, skippered by Coutts’ former deputy, Dean Barker, powered to a commanding lead, rounding the second mark 34 seconds ahead of Alinghi and holding the advantage until well into the final leg, successfully fighting off numerous tactical challenges by his more experienced rival.

But in the last miles of the race, Alinghi relentlessly closed the gap as the two yachts headed straight for the finishing line.

throwing into question the radical hull and keel designs adopted by Team New Zealand in a bid for more speed.

The loss dealt a staggering blow to New Zealand after they had to abandon the first race on Saturday due to multiple equipment breakdowns on both NZL-82 and NZL-81.

Within minutes of Saturday’s start, NZL-82 was swamped with up to six tonnes of water washing inexplicably onto its decks.

Strained by the added weight, the boat’s ultra-lite carbon fibre boom snapped and then a ring holding the headsail broke.

The New Zealanders abandoned the race after 25 minutes, the quickest withdrawal by a defender in America’s Cup 152-year history, and the back-up boat suffered such serious structural damage that it could not take to the water yesterday.