Yachting: Kiwis steady riding wave of Cup fever

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Three-zip up, and Team New Zealand are trying to keep their cool while everyone around them is "going nuts."

On the reverse of the coin, Prada are trying to hot things up before the America's Cup slips away.

Before yesterday's abandoned race, the Italians were given an inspirational pep-talk from Kiwi coach Rod Davis, who drove the New Zealand boat in 1992.

He gave a similar rousing speech - the contents of which remain secret - when Prada were 3-4 down to AmericaOne in the challenger final, so they felt it was time for another.

Over at Team New Zealand, there is no need for a gee-up. The crew are on a roll after clinching their third victory on Saturday - the third time they have left the Italians more than a minute in their wake at the finish line.

The New Zealanders are, as always, reluctant to talk up their dominance so far in this first-to-five regatta. It's a supremacy sparked by sharper crew-work and more aggression at the start line, and maybe a pinch of better boat speed as well.

Trimmer Simon Daubney made a rare admission of confidence on the way back from the racecourse yesterday.

"The boat seems to be going okay, we're happy with the way the crew's going. Everyone is loose and calm," he said. "So if we keep sailing smart and sailing fast, there's a good chance we can finish this off."

But you won't see emotion on board Black Magic, win or lose, in race four tomorrow.

"You gear yourself up for the worst-case scenario," Daubney said.

"In San Diego we didn't allow ourselves to think we would win, even when we were 3-0 up" ... and NZL32 was obviously faster than Dennis Conner's effort.

"We are just trying to keep it normal while all around us everyone is going nuts." He is talking about the 3000 boats that filled the Hauraki Gulf yesterday - and the thousands of people lining the seawalls every time the boats leave or return to their base.

"We realise we're still looking at a pretty big battle. But the way these things work, it's based on momentum. A team builds up a momentum and it's hard to break - and we've got that now."

The Italians have been reminded that no one in the history of the America's Cup has ever come back from being 0-3 down. But twice in the past four months, the Italians have fought from behind to stay alive in the Cup.

Skipper Francesco de Angelis says he is hungry for victory and he wants tomorrow's start to be a "rodeo" - in other words, he is going to get bolshy in the pre-start.

His coach, Davis, won't say what the general mood of the crew is. They certainly must be verging on emotional exhaustion - after four months racing on the unpredictable gulf.

"But I think they are okay. We are cranked up - we're not just going to roll over on this," Davis said.

Team New Zealand went to sea yesterday with a new-look crew - swapping the burly Craig Monk for the lofty Chris Ward in the grinders, and bringing NZL20 trimmer Grant Loretz on board for Robbie Naismith.

Navigator Tom Schnackenberg was back, after Mike Drummond successfully guided the way for the black boat's 1m 39s victory on Saturday. The crew changes, part of the team's rotation plan, are likely to stick for tomorrow's race.