Congratulazioni Prada!

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Life is beautiful right now for Prada, the Italians who took America out of the America's Cup.

But their next step - to take the cup out of New Zealand - promises a monumental showdown starting in 12 days.

Italy gave the Americans the boot on the Hauraki Gulf yesterday - for the first time in the 150-year history of the world's oldest sporting trophy.

The passionate Italians then turned their attention towards the stealth-bomber black boat of Team New Zealand. From brilliant euphoria to a dark, menacing reality.

Although Team New Zealand have not yet sailed up to a startline in this four-month-old regatta, they say they are as ready as they will ever be to take on the might of Prada in the cup match.

Prada celebrated last night in a mist of champagne on one of the most unforgettable moments of the cup, which now straddles three centuries.

As they did so, they broke the hearts of AmericaOne.

It was the closest Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series ever - decided in the ninth race of the best-of-nine series.

It is also the first time an Italian skipper will race in the America's Cup - an honour bestowed upon the man nicknamed Il Barone (the Baron), Francesco de Angelis.

Not a bad debut for de Angelis, known as a gentleman in the cut-throat world of America's Cup racing.

De Angelis waved wildly to a deafening welcome from a crowd five-deep which wound around the waterfront yesterday.

Amid the celebrations at the Prada base, which stretched well into the morning, de Angelis was sympathetic to the Americans who would not be there at the finish.

"From one point of view it is sad. On the other side, something is changing in the sailing world," he said.

"It is good for the sport, to be spread around more. Times change, life goes on."

Sir Peter Blake, head of the Team NZ defence, agreed. "I think it's good for the cup. It shows anyone can have a go at it, even a small nation like New Zealand or a middle-sized fanatical nation like Italy."

Yesterday's win ended a brilliant fight-back by the Prada crew, who were 3-4 down four days ago. They beat the master of the game, two-time cup finalist Paul Cayard, yet two years ago none of the crew had any idea how to match-race.

Prada tactician Torben Grael - a Brazilian in an otherwise all-Italian crew - said the sailors were absolutely exhausted after the toughest final ever.

"It feels like we have already accomplished something. When things were going wrong, we stuck to our belief in what we were doing," he said.

"All of the team is so very happy."

The nervous Italians left the dock early yesterday, wanting to get into battle mode quickly.

As critical as yesterday's race was, it turned out to be the most clinical. Prada led from start to finish - never giving AmericaOne the slightest sniff of a chance to overtake them on a one-laned highway.

Sir Peter reckoned the "best boat won" yesterday, but Team New Zealand were by no means fazed by the intensity of the challengers' battle.

"We are going to present the fastest team we possibly can. There is no way we can get any faster than we are now," he said.

"But if we have too much confidence now and say we're going to win, then we'll lose."

Team New Zealand will not be practising against AmericaOne, or any of the other defeated challengers, in the next two weeks.