Friday 29 June 2007

Team New Zealand get seasick

America's Cup flight 5 is one Team New Zealand will probably care to forget.

Sometimes things are just all against you, and there's just nothing you can do to recover. It's not a state affairs unknown to this author, and so it was with great empathy that I followed today's race, as the word 'Spinnaker' became as unpopular on board the Kiwi vessel as a careless whistle.

Spinnaker one decided to tear. Spinnaker two was hoisted without being correctly fixed - ouch! The third twisted into an hourglass and failed to fill correctly, at least until the two other sails were cut free from the boat.

It was this event that led New Zealand to lose their lead to the first mark and allowed Alinghi past, and the Swiss were never going to relinquish their gifted advantage.

3-2 to the Swiss, but at least the Kiwis know they just need a change of luck and an absence of errors to address the issue.

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