America's Cup blog: Start proves costly for TNZ

America's Cup challengers Mascalzone Latino (R) and Team New Zealand race upwind. Photo / Reuters

Well, to state the obvious it wasn't exactly the start to the Louis Vuitton Cup Team New Zealand were looking for.

A 15 second loss to Mascalzone Latino.

The Kiwis were simply outfoxed in the pre-start. Their plan didn't work.

In the last minute and a half they ended up on the left. They started on the left and went to the left and that looked okay but a right hand shift came through and Mascalzone were the major benefactors.

By mark one they were 29s ahead.

You have to win the start and the first cross and Team New Zealand didn't. From there they didn't recover.

Mascalzone looked just fine. It is difficult to gauge how the boats compared because there was always more pressure on the right. But it is probably fair to say at best Team New Zealand's NZL92 was only even up wind with Mascalzone's ITA99.

Positives for Team New Zealand? Their downwind speed looked good. Their gennakers looked good.

We always thought it would be a tough race but Team New Zealand didn't get the start.

In the past Mascalzone would have made a mistake but in this race they sailed flawlessly.

They have got a good boat in those conditions and they are sailing it well. Team New Zealand won't be their first scalp.

Of the others BMW Oracle and Luna Rossa creamed their opponents. Oracle looked fast but you would expect them to look fast against the opposition they had.

So that's it day one done and dusted.

Team New Zealand face +39 and Areva Challenge in day two. Unfortunately the forecast is not looking good.

- REUTERS

Visit Peter Lester's website Full coverage of the America's Cup from nzherald.co.nz/americascup and toyotadesktoptv.co.nz