Alinghi win 5-0

3.25pm

After 152 years, sporting's oldest trophy has gone to a European country.

The new home of the America's Cup is the Société Nautique de Genève in landlocked Switzerland.

Ernest Bertarelli, the billionaire owner of a Swiss pharmaceuticals company, and his international crew of polished professionals claimed the cup this afternoon on the Hauraki Gulf with a 45-second win over cup defender Team New Zealand.

Today's race was sailed in ideal weather, with a steady 12-15 knot northeasterly, blue sunny skies, and fair weather cumulus clouds providing an idyllic backdrop for the drama on the water.

Bertarelli's Alinghi Challenge completed the best-of-nine series in a 5-0 sweep. Three of the races, including today's, were closely fought but showed the Swiss boat's superior pointing ability, brilliant tactics, and flawless crew work.

The Alinghi crew consistently won the starts and were able to defend the favoured side of the course to build an unbeatable advantage.

The Swiss yacht, SUI64, was the first yacht built for the 2002-2003 America's Cup. Conservatively designed, she showed superior all-round performance and excellent reliability.

Team New Zealand, on the other hand, were forced to withdraw from the first and fourth races after suffering gear failure.

The Alinghi crew included 14 nationalities and seven former members of Team NZ. Skipper Russell Coutts and tactician Brad Butterworth were key members of the crew of NZL32 which won the Cup for New Zealand in 1995.

Exactly three years ago today they made history aboard NZL60 when New Zealand become the first country other than the United States to successfully defend the Cup.

Both campaigns were 5-0 sweeps by New Zealand.

With today's victory, Russell Coutts has skippered three consecutive America's Cup winners, equalling the records of the legendary Charlie Barr and Harold Vanderbilt.

He has also set a new record of 14 Cup race victories, surpassing the record of Dennis Conner.

"I'm immensely proud of what we've achieved," Coutts said after the race.

"What you have to realize is that two and a half years ago there was nothing. I don't think the design team have been given enough credit - this boat is so different from most of the other boats in this competition. We also never had any major gear failures and we have the shore crew to thank for that."

Bertarelli, who spent $120 million to win yachting's "Holy Grail" also sets a record. It is the first time a country has won the America's Cup in its first attempt.

He has not said where or when the next America's Cup will take place.

After the race, Coutts said Alinghi would look for a venue where winds would be consistent. This regatta was plagued by delays due to insufficient wind or too much wind.

He also said Alinghi, as cup defender, would look at tweaking the design rules for the cup boats.

The Challenger of Record for the 32nd America's Cup will be the Golden Gate Yacht Club of San Francisco.

Shortly after Alinghi's win today, the Société Nautique de Genève received the challenge from the Golden Gate club, which is the home of Larry Ellison's Oracle BMW challenge.

Alinghi beat Oracle BMW 5-1 to win the Louis Vuitton challenger series in January.

Here is today's race commentary:

5.20pm - The Alinghi Team has announced it will hold a press conference on Tuesday afternoon to reveal details of the 32nd America's Cup.

4.00pm - The America's Cup will be collected by Alinghi in the Eastern Viaduct as soon as the boats return to port. The Official Prizegiving and closing ceremony will be at the Viaduct Harbour on Monday afternoon at 4.00pm.

3.18pm - Alinghi cross the finish line to win the 31st America's Cup. Team NZ finish 45 seconds later.

3.15pm - Team NZ gybe onto port.

3.15pm - Alinghi gybe onto port, and can lay the finish line.

3.14pm - Team NZ gybe onto starboard.

3.12pm - Alinghi gybe onto starboard.

3.11pm - Team NZ gybe onto port.

3.09pm - Team NZ gybe onto starboard.

3.07pm - Alinghi gybe onto port.

3.05pm - Team NZ gybe onto port.

3.02pm - Both yachts gybe onto starboard.

Mark 5:

3.00pm - Alinghi round the windward mark 42 seconds ahead of Team NZ. Team NZ lost 11 seconds on the 5th leg. Both yachts do bear-away sets of symmetrical spinnakers. NZL82 is 230m astern of Alinghi and will not be able to affect the leader's wind.

2.58pm - On the port layline, Alinghi tack onto port. Team NZ follow.

2.54pm - Team NZ tack onto starboard, trailing by 200m.

2.51pm - Alinghi tack onto port, leading Team NZ by 135m approaching Mark 5.

2.48pm - Team NZ tack onto port.

2.41pm - Both yachts tack onto starboard. The NZ crew are putting together a spare spinnaker pole to replace the pole that was broken on leg four.

2.39pm - Team NZ tack onto port. Alinghi tack onto port.

Mark 4:

2.38pm - Alinghi round the bottom mark 31 seconds ahead of Team NZ. Team NZ lost 15 seconds on the 4th leg.

2.36pm - On the port layline, Team NZ gybe onto starboard.

2.34pm - Team NZ have broken their spinnaker pole.

2.33pm - Team NZ gybe onto port. Despite carrying an assymetrical spinnaker, Team NZ have not been sailing hotter angles than Alinghi with their symmetrical chute.

2.31pm - Both yachts gybe onto starboard.

2.29pm - Alinghi gybe onto port in front of Team NZ.

2.27pm - After separating by almost 600m, Team NZ gybe onto port and the yachts begin to converge.

2.26pm - Alinghi gybe onto starboard.

2.25pm - Team NZ, trailing by 120m, gybe onto starboard and the boats separate.

Mark3:

2.20pm - Alinghi round the mark 16 seconds ahead of Team NZ and go into a bear-away set of their symmetrical spinnaker on port tack. Team NZ, on starboard tack, must do a tack set of an assymetrical spinnaker. Team NZ have gained 2 seconds on the 3rd leg.

2.19pm - Alinghi tack onto port to lay the top mark.

2.18pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard. Team NZ carry on past Alinghi's stern before tacking onto starboard inside the starboard layline.

2.16pm - Team NZ tack onto port. Alinghi, to leeward, lead by 75m with both boats now on port tack.

2.16pm - Alinghi tack onto port on top of Team NZ, who tack back onto starboard to find clear air.

2.15pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard.

2.15pm - Team NZ tack onto port.

2.14pm - Alinghi tack onto port on top of Team NZ, who tack back onto starboard.

2.13pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard.

2.13pm - Team NZ back onto port.

2.12pm - Two-thirds of the way up the second beat, Alinghi tack onto port on top of Team NZ, who immediately tack onto starboard.

2.11pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard. Team NZ still on port.

2.10pm - Alinghi are being lifted by a left-hand shift. Team NZ tack onto port.

2.09pm - Team NZ tack onto port. Alinghi, leading by 95m, tack onto port on top of Team NZ. Team NZ immediately tack back onto starboard.

2.06pm - Alinghi lead by 80m, with winds NE15 knots, as the boats beat towards the 3rd mark.

2.01pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard. Both yachts are now on starboard with Alinghi to windward and ahead by 50m.

2.00pm - Team NZ tack onto starboard, Alinghi hold onto port while sorting out a topmast backstay, increasing the separation between the boats.

2.00pm - Team NZ tack onto port and Alinghi tack too.

1.59pm - Team NZ tack onto starboard and Alinghi tack to cover.

1.58pm - Team NZ tack onto port. Alinghi tack too.

Mark 2:

1.57pm - Alinghi SUI64 round the leeward mark 18 seconds ahead of Team New Zealand's NZL82. Team NZ have gained 3 seconds on the second leg.

1.55pm - On the layline to the bottom mark, Alinghi gybe onto starboard. Team NZ follow suit.

1.51pm - Team NZ do a smooth gybe onto port. Alinghi respond by also gybing onto port. A gain to Team NZ of about one boat length.

1.46pm - Alinghi lead by 95m as both boats gybe onto starboard.

Mark 1:

1.39pm - Alinghi lead at the windward mark by 21 seconds, as both yachts go into bear-away spinnaker sets.

1.37pm - Alinghi lead by 90m, showing better boat speed and the ability to point higher, as the yachts approach the first mark. Both yachts tack onto port.

1.34pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard near the starboard layline. Team NZ follow onto starboard.

1.28pm - Both yachts are on port tack, with Alinghi to leeward leading by 75m and in better position to profit from a right-hand shift.

1.27pm - Team NZ tack onto port.

1.26pm - Team NZ tack back onto port. Alinghi also tack onto port on top of Team NZ. Team NZ back onto starboard.

1.26pm - Team NZ downspeed tack back onto starboard, while Alinghi carry on on port, cementing ownership of the right-hand side, before tacking back onto starboard.

1.25pm - Team NZ tack onto port. Alinghi also tack onto port on top of Team NZ.

1.20pm - The yachts are separated by 4 boat lengths, with Alinghi leading by about 25m and pointing higher. Alinghi is in a good position to control the favoured right-hand side of the course.

1.16pm - Alinghi lead by 16m as the yachts drag race on starboard tack with a slight right-hand shift. Alinghi appear to be pointing higher, and able to increase the separation.

1.15pm - Both yachts start on starboard tack, with Alinghi to windward at the right-hand end of the line. Alinghi hits the line dead on time, with Team NZ half a boat length back.

1.14pm - Both yachts heading for the start line but killing time 120m back from the line.

1.13pm - Both yachts continue on port tack deep into the box.

1.11pm - The right-hand side of the course appears favoured. The skippers opt not to have a dialup, but are circling 150m into the box.

1.10pm - Team NZ, flying the blue flag, enter the start box from the port (pin) end of the start line. Alinghi, flying the yellow flag, enter from the starboard (committee boat) end. The wind is 14 knots from 029 deg.


1.05pm - The 10-minute gun signals racing will begin at 1.15pm. Team NZ are preparing to hoist a genoa. Alinghi have theirs set.

12.50pm - The wind is 10-15 knots from 027 degrees. Team New Zealand's backup boat NZL81 and Alinghi's backup boat SUI75 are sailing around the top of the course and relaying conditions back to the race boats.

12.30pm - The yachts are tuning up under full sail in perfect sailing conditions, with a well-settled breeze of 10-12 knots. Racing is expected to begin on schedule at 1.15pm.

11.45am - The America's Cup regatta is unlikely to be stalled due to lack of wind today as the breeze is expected to approach 20 knots.

Race 5 of the best-of-nine series was postponed yesterday when an afternoon sea breeze failed to materialise. As the wind barely reached 5-6 knots, the race committee at first delayed, then abandoned any attempt to begin racing.

A wind warning is in effect today for the Waitemata Harbour and Hauraki Gulf. The forecast is for northeasterlies of 13–17 knots, increasing to 21 knots, with slight seas building to moderate in the afternoon.

Such conditions will test the reliability of the New Zealand boat, NZL82, which has only completed two of its four races so far. In race four, the boat was dismasted while pounding to windward in 20-25 knots. She is now fitted with the rig from the team's backup boat, NZL81.

Team New Zealand must win today to keep the series going, as they trail the Swiss challenger Alinghi 4-0.

A win for the Swiss boat would mean the America's Cup will go to Europe for the first time in its 152-year history.

Today's weather:

A wind warning is in effect for the Waitemata Harbour and Hauraki Gulf. Winds: NE 13–17 increasing to 21 knots. Fine conditions with cloud building through the day. Air temperatures 22 - 25C. Slight seas building to moderate in the afternoon.

Today's crews:

Team New Zealand NZL-82

Bowman: Jeremy Lomas

Mid Bowman: Matt Mitchell

Mastman: Nick Heron

Pitman: Jared Henderson

Runner/Pit: Barry McKay

Grinder: Jono Macbeth

Grinder: Rob Waddell

Grinder: Chris Ward

Trimmer: James Dagg

Trimmer: Grant Loretz

Mainsheet Trimmer: Tony Rae

Afterguard: Adam Beashel

Afterguard: Peter Evans

Afterguard: Bertrand Pace

Navigator: Mike Drummond

Skipper: Dean Barker

17th Person: -

Alinghi SUI-64

Foredeck: Dean Phipps

Foredeck: Curtis Blewett

Mastman: Francesco Rapetti

Pitman: Josh Belsky

Grinder: Enrico De Maria

Grinder: John Barnitt

Genoa Trimmer: Simon Daubney

Trimmer: Richard Bouzaid

Grinder: Dominik Neidhart

Mainsail Traveller: Murray Jones

Mainsail Trimmer: Warwick Fleury

Grinder: Pieter Van Nieuwenhuyzen

Strategist: Jochen Schuemann

Navigator: Ernesto Bertarelli

Tactician: Brad Butterworth

Helmsman/Skipper: Russell Coutts

17th Person: -

Race 4: Pictures of the dismasting | Commentary

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

Racing schedule and results