Anything but plain sailing in Auckland

EMBATTLED America’s Cup challengers OneWorld led from start to finish to open a 2-0 lead yesterday over bitter US rival Team Dennis Conner in their quarter-finals repechage.

Italy's Prada, the defending Louis Vuitton Cup challengers champions, also took a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven repechage with another comfortable victory over Sweden's Victory Challenge in shifting but light winds off New Zealand's largest city, Auckland.

Conner's team and Prada have both lodged protests against OneWorld, alleging the Seattle-based team backed by telecoms investor Craig McCaw and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen possessed and used boat design secrets taken from other teams.

OneWorld have strenuously denied any wrongdoing but the protests have potentially wide-ranging ramifications for the regatta if they are upheld.