6.30pm
Former Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts steered Swiss challenger Alinghi to a 7-second victory in today's second race of the America's Cup, to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-nine series.
Today's loss was a heart-breaker for Team New Zealand, who had come from 12s behind at mark 1 to
lead the race at marks 2, 3, 4, and 5.
The boats appeared evenly matched in speed, both upwind and downwind, despite major differences in their design.
Although there was speculation that NZL82's narrow fin and very long keel bulb could hamper its manouvreability, a fierce tacking duel during the fifth leg showed the black boat was no slouch in that department.
In the end, however, even the black boat's much hyped "hula", or hull appendage, couldn't give it quite enough speed to fend off the Swiss challenger. Coutts and tactician Brad Butterworth took SUI64 to the favoured left hand side of the course and employed a staysail for a slight speed advantage on the final leg.
The win for Alinghi also means Coutts sets a new record of 11 consecutive America's Cup wins, having yesterday surpassed Charlie Barr's 9-0 record set from 1899 to 1901.
Race commentary (latest updates on top)
6.24pm - Alinghi crosses the line, followed seven seconds later by Team New Zealand.
6.21pm - Alinghi gybe onto port, and Team NZ follow.
6.16pm - Alinghi, with a lead of 40m, gybe onto starboard, and Team NZ follow right on top.
6.14pm - Team New Zealand fight to maintain their overlap as Alinghi try to cross NZL82's bow.
6.13pm - Alinghi roll over the top of Team New Zealand to take a lead of 6m.
6.12pm - Alinghi's wind shadow begins to fall onto NZL82 as the New Zealanders cling to a lead of 30m.
6.11pm - Alinghi has a tear in their spinnaker.
6.10pm - Alinghi, carrying a staysail, heads up in an attempt to gain better position.
6.09pm - Less than one length separates the yachts as they sprint towards the finish line.
6.07pm - Both boats gybe onto port, as Alinghi take a 3m lead. Team NZ are able to spread bad air onto their Swiss rivals.
6.06pm - Alinghi have closed the gap to one boat length and are dumping bad air onto Team New Zealand as the yachts approach the starboard layline.
6.00pm - Alinghi hoist a staysail and head for the favoured left hand side of the course, having reduced Team NZ's lead to 80m.
Mark 5
5.57pm - Team NZ lead by 26 seconds at the 3rd windward mark and into a gybe set. Alinghi follow, having lost 12 seconds on the 3rd windward leg - a leg that included 33 tacks.
5.57pm - Team NZ tack onto port to lay the top mark.
5.56pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard and Team NZ tacks on top as the yachts approach the top mark.
5.53pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard, and Team NZ follow. Both boats tack onto port, then back onto starboard, then back onto port.
5.51pm - Alinghi tack onto port. Team NZ pause, then also tack onto port with a lead of just over 100m.
5.50pm - Grinders about NZL82 and SUI64 have had no time to catch their breath as Team NZ staunchly defend the left hand side of the course against continual attacks from the Swiss challenger. There have been 28 tacks so far on this leg.
5.47pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard, and Team NZ tack on top.
5.46pm - Alinghi tack onto port. Team NZ pause, then tack onto port.
5.46pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard, and Team NZ again tack to cover.
5.45pm - Alinghi tack onto port. Team NZ pause then tack onto port.
5.44pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard, and Team NZ tack on top.
5.44pm - Alinghi tack onto port, and Team NZ tack on top.
5.43pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard. Team NZ tack on top in a continuing effort to protect the left.
5.41pm - Both boats tack onto port, with Team NZ leading by 70m. The wind has moved left to 352deg and will favour Team NZ which is to the left of Alinghi.
5.36pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard. Team NZ follow. Alinghi tack back onto port. Team NZ follow. Team NZ's smaller fin and extra-long keel bulb do not appear to be a handicap upwind.
5.34pm - A fierce tacking duel begins when Alinghi tack onto starboard. Team NZ follow. Alinghi tack back onto port. Team NZ follow. Alinghi tack back onto starboard. Team NZ follow. Alinghi tack back onto port. Team NZ follow. Alinghi tack back onto starboard. Team NZ follow. Alinghi tack back onto port. Team NZ pause, then follow onto port, having stretched their lead through the tacks to 82m.
5.31pm - Alinhgi tack into port, and Team NZ immediately tack to cover. Team NZ's lead has been reduced to less than 40m. The wind is out of the north at 8 knots.
Mark 4
5.29pm - Team NZ lead around the 2nd leeward mark by 14 seconds. Alinghi have gained 12 seconds on the 2nd downwind leg.
5.28pm - On the layline, Alinghi gybe onto port, followed by Team NZ.
5.27pm - Approaching the 2nd leeward mark, Alinghi gybe onto port and Team NZ follows.
5.25pm - Alinghi gybe onto starboard, and Team NZ follow suit.
5.22pm - Alinghi closes the gap to 80m as the breeze increases from about 7 knots at the top mark to around 9 knots.
5.17pm - Alinghi gybes onto port, and Team NZ does likewise.
5.15pm - Team NZ still leads as the boats sail downwind under gennakers, with very even speed. Team NZ is about 4 boat lengths ahead.
5.08pm - Team NZ lead by about 90m as the boats head downwind on starboard tack. Team NZ have shown higher average boat speed on each leg, but have not sailed as high as Alinghi.
Mark 3
5.07 Team New Zealand lead around the 2nd windward mark
by 26 seconds and go into a gybe set. Alinghi follow with a gybe set, having gained 20 seconds on the third leg.
5.06pm - Alinghi has closed the gap to 80m as the boats approach Mark 3. The wind is 9 knots.
5.03pm - Team NZ tack onto port on top of Alinghi. Both boats are on the port layline, as crew head aloft to spot wind and prepare for rounding of the second windward mark.
5.02pm - Alinghi tack onto port. Team NZ hold starboard tack. A big left hand shift has helped Alinghi close the gap to 3-4 lengths.
4.56pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard to escape bad air from Team NZ. They are then forced into a downspeed tack to get back onto port tack.
4.56pm - Team NZ tack back onto port, on top of Alinghi.
4.55pm - Team NZ tack onto starboard, now leading by over 160m.
4.52pm - Alinghi tack onto port.
4.50pm - Team NZ tack onto port.
4.48pm - Alinghi appear to be pointing higher but Team NZ have better speed through the water, and are gradually extending their lead.
4.45pm - Team NZ leads by over 170m and appear to be benefiting from a better breeze as they lead Alinghi towards the left hand side of the course.
4.41pm - Both boats are on starboard tack and being lifted as they head into the second windward leg of the six-leg race.
Mark 2
4.40pm - Team New Zealand lead around the first leeward mark by 34 seconds - a gain of 46 seconds on the leg.
4.40pm - Alinghi gybe onto port.
4.38pm - Team NZ gybe onto starboard and are able to lay the bottom mark. Alinghi will need to gybe again.
4.36pm - Team NZ have picked up a big right hand shift and extended their lead to about 150m.
4.35pm - Alinghi gybe onto starboard while changing to a lighter spinnaker. Team NZ steer higher, leading by 120m.
4.32pm - Team NZ sail into lighter air as Alinghi close the gap to about 20m. Team NZ gybe onto port as the wind shifts to the right and drops to under 8 knots.
4.30pm - Team NZ gybe onto port. Alinghi gybe onto port. Team NZ gybe back onto starboard and the yachts separate.
4.27pm - Team NZ move 60m ahead, showing superior downwind speed. Both boats still on starboard tack.
4.22pm - Alinghi do two dummy gybes. Team NZ gybe onto starboard. Alinghi also gybe onto starboard. The boats are now well separated and Team NZ, on the left hand side of the course have reduced Alinghi's lead to 5 metres.
4.19pm - Alinghi hoist a staysail as Team NZ move to the right to cover. Alinghi prepare to gybe. The wind is 10 knots.
Mark 1
4.17pm - Alinghi lead by 12s over Team New Zealand at the first windward mark.
4.15pm - Approaching Mark 1, both boats are on port tack. Alinghi, to leeward, luff and put bad air on Team NZ, to take a 2-length lead.
4.10pm - Alinghi cross clear ahead of Team NZ, then bounce Team NZ towards the left hand side of the course.
4.05pm - The two yachts appear evenly matched in upwind speed, although Alinghi has been sailing higher and taking advantage of left hand shifts to lead by about a boat length. Both yachts are now on starboard tack.
4.03pm - Alinghi tack onto port, still holding the left hand side of the course.
4.02pm - Team Alinghi tack away, still unable to cross clear ahead of Team NZ who tack onto port. Team NZ protest, but the umpires disallow.
4.00pm - Team NZ tack onto starboard as the boats head towards a crossing situation.
3.59pm - Alinghi tack onto port, while Team NZ continues tracking towards the right hand layline. The wind has increased slightly to 11 knots and the boats are bow to bow.
3.58pm - Alinghi were unable to cross clear ahead of Team NZ. Alinghi tack back onto starboard, and bounce Team NZ onto port tack.
3.57pm - Alinghi tacks onto port. Team NZ have the starboard hand right of way.
3.53pm - Alinghi has the favoured left hand side as the boats sail side-by-side on starboard tack, with Alinghi about 20m ahead. The wind has gone 10deg left to 015 deg.
3.51pm - Team NZ leads by a few metres and tacks onto starboard.
The start
3.50pm - Team NZ starts with good speed on port tack in the middle of the start line with Alinghi somewhat slower on starboard at the pin end. Wind is 10knots at 024 deg.
3.49pm - Team NZ tacks onto port.
3.48pm - Both boats killing time as they head for the favoured pin end of the line. Alinghi is too close to the start line and luffs.
3.46pm - Both boats go into a dial-up, but Team NZ bails out. The left-hand side of the course appears to be favoured.
3.45pm - Team New Zealand, flying the yellow flag, enter the start box from the starboard (committee boat) end of the start line. Alinghi, flying the blue flag, enter from the port (buoy or "pin") end of the start line.
3.40pm - The 10-minute gun signals that racing will begin at 3.50pm. Winds of 9-11 knots. Seas calm.
3.36pm - The Race Director hopes to start racing at 3.50pm.
3.31pm - Police are attempting to move spectator craft from the left hand side of the race course. The Race Director wants to reset the course in response to a left hand wind shift but cannot do so until the spectators move back. The start remains postponed indefinitely.
3.16pm - Race Director Harold Bennett has again delayed the start of Race Two as attempts continue to clear spectator craft from the left hand side of the race course. Team New Zealand and the challenger Alinghi have both agreed to an indefinite postponement.
3.10pm - The start of Race Two has been delayed another 10 minutes, to 3.30pm.
2.55pm - Race Two of the 31st America's Cup is now expected to begin at 3.20pm, two hours later than originally scheduled, as the breeze gradually fills in over the race course on the Hauraki Gulf.
2.43pm - Team New Zealand have cast off their towline and begun sailing under main and genoa. Wind at the committee boat has increased to approximately 10 knots.
2.26pm - Team Alinghi have begun sailing under mainsail and genoa as the breeze gradually increases, but Team NZ crew are still sheltering from the sun under their bimini awning awaiting the signal that racing will begin.
1.05pm - Today's second race in the America's Cup has been postponed due to light winds on the Hauraki Gulf.
Racing was set to begin at 1.15pm, but the wind was a mere 5 knots out of the north. By 2.15pm it had increase slightly to 7 knots.
Earlier today, the Team New Zealand weather team predicted an 11-13 knot sea breeze for later this afternoon.
Apart from the lack of a good sailing breeze, it's a beautiful day on the water. The crews of cup defender Team New Zealand and Swiss challenger Alinghi are relaxing under sun awnings amid a huge fleet of spectator craft.
Today's race is unlikely to test boats and their equipment to breaking point, unlike yesterday's series opener which saw Team New Zealand withdraw after a series of catastrophes.
Yesterday, while bashing to windward in a 20-23 knot southerly on the first leg of the race, NZL-82 took tonnes of water over her lee rail, overwhelming the cockpit scuppers.
While crewmembers attempted in vain to bail out the cockpit using a bucket, the boom of NZL82 snapped. That was followed, just minutes later, by failure of the genoa tack which caused the genoa luff to pull out of the headfoil, damaging the headfoil in the process.
The black boat was towed ignominiously back to the Team New Zealand base, the crew sitting in silence with heads bowed.
"Obviously we are very disappointed," skipper Dean Barker told a news conference. "We had a lot of gremlins on board the boat."
Alinghi's crew eased up after New Zealand withdrew, and safely completed the six-leg, 18.5 nautical mile race to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
The Team New Zealand shore crew worked through the night to repair the damage to NZL82 and check out the structure of the boat. The innovative angular boom was replaced by another of the same shape.
NZL82 headed off to the Hauraki Gulf with a rapturous send-off at 10am today, but it went out alone.
The team's training boat, NZL81, stayed in the shed behind closed doors. Repair work has still to be completed on NZL81 after it also suffered undisclosed damage yesterday. Team New Zealand says it hopes to have the boat back in the water by Tuesday.
New Zealand won the America's Cup in 1995 and successfully defended it in 2000. The Swiss are trying to become the first European team to win the Cup.
Today's weather
The forecast for the Hauraki Gulf, issued at 10.24am today: Southerly 10 knots, tending northeast 10 knots early afternoon easing to 5 knots in the evening and rising to 10 knots again late Monday morning. Sea slight. Mainly fine.
Crews
There are no changes to the crews today.
Team New Zealand NZL-82
Bowman: Jeremy Lomas
Mid Bowman: Matt Mitchell
Mastman: Nick Heron
Pitman: Jared Henderson
Runner/Pit: Barry McKay
Grinder: Jono McBeth
Grinder: Rob Waddell
Grinder: Chris Ward
Trimmer: James Dagg
Trimmer: Grant Loretz
Mainsheet Trimmer: Tony Rae
Afterguard: Adam Beashel
Afterguard: Peter Evans
Afterguard: Hamish Pepper
Navigator: Mike Drummond
Skipper: Dean Barker
17th Man: -
Alinghi SUI-64
Foredeck: Dean Phipps
Foredeck: Curtis Blewet
Mastman: Francesco Rapett
Pitman: Josh Belsk
Grinder: Enrico De Mari
Grinder: John Barnit
Genoa Trimmer: Simon Daubne
Trimmer: Richard Bouzai
Grinder: Dominik Neidhar
Mainsail Traveller: Murray Jone
Mainsail Trimmer: Warwick Fleur
Grinder: Pieter Van Nieuwenhuyze
Strategist: Jochen Schueman
Navigator: Ernesto Bertarell
Tactician: Brad Butterwort
Helmsman/Skipper: Russell Coutts
17th man: -
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
Racing schedule and results
6.30pm
Former Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts steered Swiss challenger Alinghi to a 7-second victory in today's second race of the America's Cup, to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-nine series.
Today's loss was a heart-breaker for Team New Zealand, who had come from 12s behind at mark 1 to
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