4-0 for Team New Zealand

By NICK STANLEY

Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts celebrated his 38th birthday today by winning Race 4 of the America's Cup finals series by 1m 49s to take a 4-0 lead over the Italian Prada Challenge.

In 7-9 knot southeast winds, NZL60 led the race around every mark of the course, extending its lead on all legs but the third and fifth.

Coutts again outmanoeuvred Francesco de Angelis in the pre-start duel, taking a 7 sec lead at the start line.

Prada caught the black boat on the first upwind leg and took the lead briefly on the third pass of a tacking duel. But Team New Zealand picked a slight windshift on the right side of the course and gained a significant advantage, leading the Italians by 45 sec at the first mark.

Prada narrowed that lead to 39 sec downwind, but the Kiwi team was always in control of the race, choosing exactly where it wanted to sail.

On the last upwind leg ITA45 narrowed the gap between the boats to 1m 30s as they turned for the finish line.

The two teams are scheduled to race again tomorrow, conditions allowing. Team New Zealand only need to win one more race in the best-of-nine series to become the first country outside America to successfully defend the America's Cup.

The MetService forecast for the Hauraki Gulf tomorrow is 20 knots southeast winds with rain clearing. Winds over 20 knots could force the postponement of racing.