Another catastrophe: Team NZ dismasted in Race 4

Here is today's complete race commentary:

3.11pm - In the sunshine, and pushed by a gentle 14 knot breeze, Team Alinghi cruise over the finish line to take a 4-0 lead in the best-of-nine America's Cup. The Swiss challengers are one win away from taking the America's Cup to Europe for the first time. Crossing the finish line alone, after Team NZ were dismasted on the 3rd leg of today's race, the crew of Alinghi were greeted by cowbells rung by wellwishers aboard Vava, the superyacht of Alinghi owner Ernesto Bertarelli.

It was the 13th America's Cup win for Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts, who has now equalled the record set by Dennis Conner.

3.00pm - Team New Zealand must recover quickly from today's dismasting if they are to continue attempting to defend the America's Cup. Tomorrow is a scheduled race day and neither team can request a postponement.

Today's race, number four in the best-of-nine series, was sailed in winds of up to 25 knots and moderate seas. Although today had not been scheduled as a race day originally, the teams agreed to compete after more than a week of postponements due to insufficient wind or too much wind.

Pictures of the dismasting

2.49pm - Team NZ syndicate head Tom Shnackenberg says the rig from the team's backup boat, NZL81, will be transferred to the race boat, NZL82, and the crew will be ready for the next race.

2.35pm - Some of the equipment is being transferred from NZL82 to a Team NZ support boat. A power saw has been passed onto the yacht. Two discharge hoses from pumps hang over the starboard side of the yacht, but it is not clear whether the yacht is taking water.

2.26pm - The New Zealand crew have finished cutting away most of the sailcloth from NZL82. The carbon fibre mast has snapped, but not broken, and hangs off the stern of the yacht. The crew are using a hacksaw to cut away the standing rigging.

2.23pm - Alinghi continue to sail around the course en route to an easy win in Race 4.

2.22pm - It does not appear that any of the New Zealand crew were injured. The crew are scaling the wreckage of mast and rigging, to cut away the debris. The yacht is under tow back to the Viaduct Basin.

2.15pm - The mast of Team NZ's NZL82 snapped above the lowest spreaders. The crew are now struggling to contain the sails and prevent the mast from damaging the hull of NZL82.

2.10pm - Team NZ has lost its mast. The wind was 17-18 knots as NZL82 drove into the second of two large waves.

2.05pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard in the windward position.

2.03pm - Team NZ tack onto starboard. Team NZ's mainsail is occasionally backwinding, and an upper draught stripe on the sail has become detached in the middle. While not a structural problem it will disrupt the air flow over the sail to some extent.

2.00pm - There has been no tacking duel, as the skippers appear reluctant to give up port tack during the current left-hand shift. Alinghi lead by approximately 80m.

1.57pm - The wind hits 25 knots as the yachts drive to windward with sheets eased. Team NZ is taking water over the lee rail.

1.55pm - Team NZ tack onto port. Alinghi tack onto port to cover as the rain resumes.

Mark 2

1.54pm - Alinghi rounds the first leeward mark 17 seconds ahead of Team NZ.

1.51pm - Wind has increased to 22 knots from 040deg as the yachts approach the bottom mark with Alinghi in front.

1.48pm - Team NZ, gybe onto starboard.

1.47pm - Alinghi gybe onto starboard.

1.44pm - Alinghi have gained one boat length downwind and managed to stay clear of Team NZ's wind shadow. Alinghi lead by about 80 metres. The boats are occasional surfing on waves left over from the gales of recent days. The wind is 20 knots from the northeast.

Mark 1

1.39pm - Alinghi lead around the windward mark by 8 seconds. Both yachts go into bear-away sets. The wind has shifted left again to 037deg.

1.38pm - Alinghi lead by 2 boat lengths and sail beyond the layline to tack on top of Team NZ. Both yachts on port tack approaching the first mark.

1.37pm - Just beyond the port layline, Team NZ tack onto port.

1.36pm - Alinghi tack onto port.

1.35pm - Alinghi tack on top of Team NZ, moving onto port. Team NZ bounced back onto starboard tack.

1.34pm - Alinghi tack onto starboard.

1.33pm - Team NZ tack onto port. Alinghi have been pointing higher throughout leg one.

1.30pm - Ainghi tack onto port and cross ahead.

1.25pm - Team NZ back onto starboard. Wind has shifted right and should favour Team NZ.

1.23pm - Alinghi opt not to cross ahead, but tack onto starboard, protecting the left-hand side of the course. Team NZ back onto port.

1.22pm - Team NZ tack onto starboard to set up the first cross. Alinghi look able to cross ahead.

1.20pm - Alinghi tack onto port, still holding an advantage of about one boat length.

1.19pm - Team NZ tack onto port, as the wind shifts about 3 degrees to the left.

1.18pm - Alinghi, to leeward, is sailing slightly higher and reducing the separation between the yachts.

1.17pm - Alinghi lead by a boat length, but Team NZ have the right-hand advantage.

1.15pm - Both yachts start on starboard tack with Alinghi hitting the line dead on time and Team NZ to windward and slightly behind.

1.13pm - Both yachts head back towards the start line on starboard tack with NZL82 to windward.

1.12pm - The Committee Boat end of the line appears to be favoured as Team NZ chase Alinghi deep into the start box.

1.10pm - 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. Rain squalls have been passing through the start area, causing crews to make last-minute headsail changes. Team NZ, who took water over their lee rail in race one, have rigged plastic curtains around the cockpit of NZL82 to shed any water that comes aboard.


1.05pm - The 10-minute gun is fired to signal racing will start at 1.15pm. The wind is 16knots at 044 degrees and the rain has tapered off.

12.30pm - First there was not enough wind. Then there were gails on the Hauraki Gulf. And today, when the wind is finally in the acceptable range, the America's Cup sailors will likely find themselves racing in the rain.

The crews of Team New Zealand NZL82 and the Swiss challenger Alingi SUI64 are currently waiting for the start of race four in the best of nine series scheduled for 1.15pm.

Aboard NZL82, tactician Bertrand Pacé is waiting to start his first-ever America's Cup race. Brought into replace Hamish Pepper after race three, the Frenchman's debut has been delayed by the unsuitable weather.

11.45am - The America's Cup crews left their bases early today for the Hauraki Gulf, in an attempt to finally sail the much-delayed fourth race in the best-of-nine series.

After eight days of delays due to unfavourable conditions, principal race officer Harold Bennett today decided defenders Team New Zealand and Swiss challengers Alinghi would start on time at 1.15pm.

Squally winds which prevented racing earlier this week have moderated and the wind was expected to be between 13 and 18 knots from the east-northeast with moderate seas.

Bennett said the swell on the Hauraki Gulf could cause problems if it rose above 1.6m from the 1m swell early today.

"It would only be the swell if there are any issues today but I don't anticipate that. The indicators are that it is going to be in the range.

"If you had a metre and a half to 1.6 or something like that you would probably be looking at putting safety ahead (of racing)."

He said wind was unlikely to pose problems today.

"It is not expected to rise during the day at all, just up and down a little in that mid range the whole day by the look of it."

"We are heading out there and we are quite excited about being able to get on with it."

He said one concern was the safety of small spectator craft on the gulf and harbour master James McPetrie had advised small boats to stay at home.

"He is quite comfortable with the fact that we will be able to go racing but the advice he is offering to people with small craft is to remain ashore," Bennett said.

He said the swell and chop would make it very uncomfortable for boats under about 7m in length.

"It wouldn't be the best day for holding your lunch down," Bennett said.

Continuous coverage of America's Cup racing will begin on nzherald.co.nz at 12.30pm.

Today's teams:

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: -

- NZPA, Herald staff

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

Racing schedule and results