Twenty years ago, a boat with a revolutionary underwater appendage lost the first two races of an America's Cup series as it struggled to overcome gear problems, a highly skilled opponent and a lack of hard match-racing. Then, as sailing conditions became more favourable, Australia II got its act together.
It won four of the final five races to take the cup from the New York Yacht Club for the first time. It is the stuff of inspiration, and a tale to calm much of the doubt arising from Team New Zealand's weekend heartbreak.
Syndicate head Tom Schnackenberg knows the lesson well; he played a pivotal role in Australia II's victory over Dennis Conner's Liberty. He can, therefore, take a level-headed view of Team New Zealand's failings in the first two races against the Swiss challenger - and recognise the positive features. Hopefully, his attitude has filtered throughout the team's young crew, and skipper Dean Barker quickly abandoned the deflated appearance that followed Sunday's seven-second loss. Today, Team New Zealand must adopt the attitude of the 1983 Australians and attack their opponents for all they are worth.
They have reasons for confidence. Sunday's race was sailed in conditions highly favourable to Alinghi. The assumption has always been that light airs would benefit the Swiss, if only because they effectively neutralise Team New Zealand's "hula" appendage. Yet the defenders matched, if not bettered, the Swiss boat for speed for most of the race, only to succumb to a tactical error on the final leg.
We now know that the New Zealand boat is competitive - even in conditions that do not suit it. We now know the untested Team New Zealand crew are able to foot it with their match-hardened opponents. The weekend's setbacks must not have dulled their readiness and willingness to fight. Indeed, they can take strength from the manner in which they and their boat - with the supposed drag of the "hula" and all - gained ground during Sunday's fierce tacking duel.
The fond hopes of an easy New Zealand victory - based on technological superiority, most notably the power derived from the "hula" - have vanished. But so, too, has the fear that Swiss money has produced a challenge that is too strong, sharp and skilled. The challenger, of course, always starts with advantages. It has already tested itself against a variety of different boats, and different challenges, in the Louis Vuitton Cup series. And, unlike Prada, the challenger last time around, the Swiss were given sufficient breathing space to prepare for the America's Cup series.
Team New Zealand, for their part, had to make do with in-house racing, having this year been denied useful match-ups with an eliminated challenger. In such circumstances, it is unlikely a boat will be pushed as hard as may be attempted in an America's Cup race. This was surely at the root of Saturday's litany of gear failures. Effectively, Barker and his crew are still learning about their own boat, not to speak of the strength and weaknesses of Alinghi, while on the job. They must quickly cast off their learner plates.
Today's race is forecast to be sailed in 12-17 knot northerlies, conditions in which the Team New Zealand boat is widely expected to be at its best. It has shown its ability to match Alinghi for speed in light airs; the stronger wind will provide the opportunity to reveal its power. This advantage, of course, remains theoretical until the race has been sailed. But why cannot another boat fulfil its potential - as Australia II did 20 years ago - as the crew come to grips with its complexities, their opponents, and a lack of hard match racing, and as they strike conditions more to their liking? Australia II created history; Team New Zealand can repeat it.
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Racing schedule and results
Twenty years ago, a boat with a revolutionary underwater appendage lost the first two races of an America's Cup series as it struggled to overcome gear problems, a highly skilled opponent and a lack of hard match-racing. Then, as sailing conditions became more favourable, Australia II got its act together.
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