Swiss yacht cruises to challenge final

SWITZERLAND’S Alinghi yesterday qualified for the finals of the challenge round of yachting’s America’s Cup by defeating American rival Oracle on the Hauraki Gulf.

Skippered by New Zealander Russell Coutts, Alinghi won by 48 seconds to take an unbeatable 4-0 lead in the best of seven semi-finals.

In a double-header to make up for lost time over the weekend American OneWorld defeated Italy’s Prada twice to give them a 3-1 lead in the five races which OneWorld started carrying a penalty point.