Race head deflects Swiss fire

By TERRY MADDAFORD and JULIE ASH

America's Cup principal race officer Harold Bennett last night stood by his decision to call off yesterday's much-delayed fourth race, amid fierce criticism from the Alinghi syndicate.

The dramatic fall-off in weather conditions which led to the abandonment for the third successive raceday caught everybody by surprise.

Bennett eventually called off racing at 4pm, half an hour after the normal deadline for starting races, when the shifty winds showed no sign of settling.

Yet earlier in the day both Team New Zealand and Alinghi agreed conditions for racing looked favourable and definitely better than Saturday, when racing was called off without the boats leaving their bases. The race was set down to be sailed last Thursday, but that, too, was a non-event.

"I spoke to the weather teams from both syndicates early on and they agreed it looked good, with winds of between 12 to 14 knots likely," said Bennett.

"Both teams were rather stunned by what transpired. Everyone was taken by surprise."

Yesterday's course was to be set just off the East Coast Bays in the same area as the previous Sunday's race, when Alinghi got up on the last leg to head Team NZ by 7s.

"It is so frustrating," said Bennett. "Sure, we will get bagged for not doing more to try and get the race started but I stand by the decision we made.

"Looking at the course after we had made the call to go home, the wind died.

"It would have been a real struggle for the boats to have made it up the first leg inside the 45-minute limit."

Last night, Alinghi syndicate head Ernesto Bertarelli was stinging in his condemnation of the decision, attacking the organisation of the cup as akin to a "zoo".

He also alleged Team New Zealand were deciding when sailing would take place.

"We were asked today if we wanted to race. We were ready.

"Then the other team comes back and says, 'Well, I don't know, we will think about it'."

Bertarelli also accused Team New Zealand of wanting "to play two roles as the defender and the race committee."

He said the key for his team was to concentrate on the racing and not let the constant postponements get to them.

"With the euphoria of three wins you get emotionally drained, you get maybe over-confident.

"We have three wins behind us, we are well rested and ready to race. We want to take them on any time they are ready."

Weather permitting, the race will now be sailed today, which was to have been a layday.

Bennett got agreement from both teams on the water to try again today and then called America's Cup chief executive Tony Thomas, who agreed to their request.

"The winds should be a little better for that [racing today]," said Bennett. "After that it gets pretty windy."

Early forecasts for today suggest 10- to 12-knot northeasterlies but with much stronger 25 to 35 knots tomorrow.

"I'm pleased with the co-operation from both teams," said Bennett.

"There was a bit of banter but in the end I feel we have done the best we can."

There has been no suggestion of further changes, with the fifth race scheduled for tomorrow, a rest day on Wednesday and the sixth race, if required, on Thursday.

Alinghi mainsail trimmer Warwick Fleury said his team were happy to sail yesterday and even stayed out and did a practice start.

"I think they probably could have got a race in about 2 o'clock. The conditions seemed okay, but it didn't happen. It was light, probably 8 to 10 knots I think. We thought it was okay."

However, Fleury conceded he did not know what the conditions were like around the whole course.

"I think if it had been the challenger races it would have started.

"The breeze was there. We just hoisted and sailed around. They [Team NZ] didn't and maybe they were trying to make a bit of a statement."

With Alinghi 3-0 ahead in the first-to-five series, Fleury said he was not sure if the continuous postponements were a benefit to either of the teams.

"I am not sure if it is worse for us or worse for them," he said.

"Probably it is worse for them. It looks like they want to get conditions they are more comfortable in.

"But we are not letting it get to us. We will be ready to race when the flag goes up."

Fleury admitted it was a bit frustrating that for racing to go ahead after the 3.30pm deadline the race committee had to get both teams to agree.

"It does seem kind of strange when it gets past that 3.30pm mark and you have to have everyone agreeing.

"You think it might be better without that and just leaving it to the race committee ... You do a get a breeze later in the day and it might only settle in about 4pm."

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

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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