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.