Kiwis come from behind to beat Alinghi and even America's Cup

June 24, 2007 - 9:43 am

By: PAUL LOGOTHETIS

VALENCIA, Spain (AP) - Emirates Team New Zealand came from behind to snatch a 28-second win over defending champion Alinghi on Sunday, levelling their best-of-nine America's Cup series at 1-1.

Alinghi lost the starboard advantage after the NZL-92 yacht crossed in front of it to start. But Emirates Team New Zealand's early lead was short-lived as Alinghi pushed out in front after tacking to port halfway up the first leg.

The SUI-100 yacht gained a lead of more than two boat-lengths before making the first cross of the NZL-92 yacht for a 19-second lead around the first marker.

Alinghi's lead was cut to 13 seconds around the second mark before the Kiwis gained on the left side of the course up the third leg. Emirates Team New Zealand pushed ahead of Alinghi and around the final marker with the advantage before covering the Swiss yacht down the final lap as Alinghi lost for the first time in America's Cup racing.

"Any time we lose, it's a big loss," Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth said. "On the first beat we looked pretty powerful ... and on the second beat they just sort of rolled into us really."

Alinghi's crew includes midbowman Curtis Blewett of Kelowna, B.C.,

The third-flight of the best-of-nine series is scheduled for Tuesday with Monday an off-day.

Challenger Emirates Team New Zealand had favourable light conditions as it looked to even the score after Alinghi won the opening flight by 35 seconds.

The start mirrored the first race, with the Kiwis getting off the line quicker as both boats moved out on a starboard course.

The Swiss pushed out to the left before tacking to cover, getting a lead of two boat-lengths before crossing, which has usually been decisive at this America's Cup's challenger series.

Alinghi maintained the lead after gybing to the right on the first downwind lap as it battled through wash coming off the watching spectator fleet.

Alinghi's gybes were stiff and the Kiwis ate into the lead before the boat's split on the third leg.

Emirates Team New Zealand pulled ahead and rounded the final mark with a 15-second advantage after Butterworth decided to cross to the right.

The boats split downwind before Alinghi gybed back to the middle as helmsman Ed Baird engaged Kiwi counterpart Dean Barker. But Barker covered every gybe as the Kiwis beat Alinghi to snap a six-race losing streak against the Swiss team.

In 2003, the team from landlocked Switzerland shocked sailing powerhouse New Zealand by defeating the Kiwis 5-0 at home to take the cup to Europe for this first time in more than 150 years. Sunday's win means the America's Cup will not be a sweep for the first time since 1992.

"I've lost a lot of races since then ... it's only every four years, I'll get over it," said Butterworth who lost for the first time in 17 America's Cup races.

Emirates Team New Zealand is only the second team in 20 flights since the start of the current Louis Vuitton Cup challengers' series to win after trailing around the first marker. The other was BMW Oracle Racing.

The America's Cup was named for its first winner, the New York schooner America, with the Auld Mug considered the oldest trophy in international sport.

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