Alinghi's managing director and design co-ordinator Grant Simmer says his team were not brash enough to think that boat speed would win the America's Cup.
Going into the America's Cup match, most thought Alinghi's SUI100 would have a significant speed edge over NZL92.
The assumptions came from Alinghi'sperformance in the final fleet-racing regatta in April, where the syndicate's first new boat, SUI91, mowed down its opposition. It also came from the fact that Alinghi left the last cup with the fastest boats.
The syndicate also talked up their boats. Simmer himself said he thought the team had the best rig programme in the competition. Sail designer Mike Schreiber said he wouldn't change sails with anyone, and sailor Dean Phipps reckoned their design team was the best in the cup.
However, after six races in a range of conditions, it is clear very little, if anything, separates SUI100 and NZL92.
"Obviously you always hope for a speed advantage," Simmer said. "We were quite happy with the performance of SUI100 but we weren't brash enough to believe that boat speed would win this event.
"The whole way since the last cup we have been racing through the acts [pre-regattas], we have been learning together and learning and feeding off each other. We always knew it would be close."
He said this cup is a contest of metres.
"Metres to get you into a position where you can get a strong lee bow, or metres where you can just get across the bow. It's so close now where every couple of metres you can gain up the race course is going to be significant."
Simmer was navigator on Australia II, which produced the biggest comeback in America's Cup history by beating Dennis Conner's Liberty 4-3 after trailing 3-1.
Having been in both the defender's and challenger's role, Simmer said this far into the regatta it doesn't feel that different.
"The first day is anxious no matter what side you are on ... The toughest races over this regatta have taken place over the last week."
