KEY POINTS:
- Send your best wishes to Team New Zealand
It's locked at 2-2 after Race 4 in the best-of-nine series to win the America's Cup.
Team NZ need your encouragement right now! Read all the messages of support.
Here is the latest selection:
Allan, Ellen, Steve and Vicky
Happy Birthday Grant, we all wish you a win tonight to celebrate! Then a couple more. Cheers! A+E+S+V
Travelling Kiwis (Romania)
28 New Zealanders travelling through Transylvania, deep in the heart of Romania, want you to know that we are blowing wind in your direction. If giving blood will help, we'll call in at Dracula's Castle. Go Kiwis! Bring home the Cup.
Helen Butt (Rotorua)
To Dean and all the Team NZ crew.
We watched the race early this morning and we are very proud of you getting to 19 seconds. All the country is behind you and good luck for the next race. You can do it. But don't think you let us down because you didn't. It was a very good race and to get to be 19 seconds after the trouble with sail, shows you how good all of you are. Go out and win the next race you can do it. GO Team New Zealand.
Grant (Auckland)
Hey guys, there's nothing in the rules that dictate which five races you need to win. Aussie did it, so can we. Go for it!
Dee and Co (Tauranga)
We want to send our best wishes to Team Nz - Kia kaha guys, you have the mana, you can do it! Gunning for you all the way, we are so very proud of you for what you have achieved to date, all the VERY best for race 7 especially! Xxxx Kia kaha, kia Maia, kia Manawanui!
Cheryl
So disappointed for you guys in race 5. Such a superb start Dean and right through to the rip in the sail. Go get them tonight. Chin up, you can do it. Give Granty a good birthday present!
Lazza (Auckland)
What a fantastic performance by our lads. In spite of the ripped sails, lost sails, wine glass effect and still they came back at Alinghi, losing by a respectable margin which most teams would be quite pleased with. That gives you the measure and resolve of our team. We all know if the sail was in one piece, the race was ours. Barker's Boys can do it again! No worries lads, we'll get 'em next race. We'll get that Cup back to Auckland! Go Kiwis!
Dan
That looked like a bullet hole in the sail! Why did we sail through the spectator fleet?? Conspiracy afoot!
Napier
Go Team NZ! Will be watching you on TV any minute now. Good luck eh :-)
Aquarius (Gladstone, Queensland)
4-2 to Alinghinever say die. Go kiwis, fight till the end.
Lourenzo
Dear Dean, Grant and the Team.
This is it Team New Zealand. The last two races have been ours.
Win the next two races equalise the scores and then finish them off. Dean I know you don't want to but think about what you had to go through in 2003 but you had to go through it and now look at how much the team has done to make it to where they are now, are you just going to let Alinghi take it after all you have endured, going through that long challenging Louis Vuitton cup. But what is making me and other Kiwis so obsessed with you winning is that Alinghi are cheaters, shame you didn't win the protest but they are cheaters and you can not let them just win the America's Cup. My last point is don't make bad weather calls. You are getting the best starts so don't let yourselves down and make the right weather call at the third mark.
Lee (Papamoa Beach)
You guys are "Ice". Sooooo damn cool and professional Such a pleasure to watch! I've known for a few weeks now that the Cup is coming back to Auckland, so, just keep the faith that you have displayed throughout! Slainte and smiles.
Kiwi Lisa
Even that Team NZ is down 2-4 to the 'Swiss' foreign legionnaire boat void of Swiss, Alinghi, there's no fight that cannot be won. So Dean, Grant and all the other good Team NZ guys just have to go out there and fight Alinghi with all they've got. Since Team NZ already have won two races yet more can be won. But, no matter what Team NZ has put on one heck of a great fight, so they'll forever be our boys.
Albert
I only watched race 5, but I think this is going to be one of the closest America's Cup final ever, not for those with a weak heart to watch. Based on the previous 4 races results and after watching race 5, my bet is for Team NZ to win. They were almost 200m behind at one point after ripping the sail and came back to as close as 50m behind and eventually lost only by 19sec. On that performance, I don't think Alinghi is any faster than Team NZ's boat. Good chance of the final going the full distance - Team NZ 5, Alinghi 4.
Jane (Auckland)
Hi Dean and Team,
At this stage, you cannot afford any mistakes. This is the second time that something's happened with your sail. The first, when our man fell off and had to clamber back into the boat. Now with the hoisting of the spinnaker. The important thing now is for you to make a comeback and square the series. Even if you lose today, you will have to stay focussed to win the match point race to give Alinghi a fright. The fact of the matter is you have a faster boat than Alinghi and I think you don't realise that. How else could you have come back from the spinnaker disaster that left you almost 290m behind Allinghi to only lose by a mere 19 seconds? I had my son wailing when Alinghi raced past you. Do you want to know what my thoughts were? Hey, we still have two more legs. My attitude to problems and disasters whether while they are happening or after the event is: right, let's fix it as fast as we can and move on. So if you find yourself in a similar predicament in any race, just stay focussed, fix the problem as quickly as you can calmly and without making anyone feel bad or guilty and then race ahead! The recriminations and analysis can come later.
Kiwiwoman (Brisbane)
I would love watch on TV for America's Cup sailing for races. I would like say "Go Team NZ, let's do it again". Team NZ will beat Alinghi. I hope Team NZ will take America's Cup home to Auckland. Good luck. Go Team NZ! Good luck and go All Blacks too.
Black cats (Auckland)
Only twice have we not sat up and watched the guys in their titanic struggle with Alinghi - and both times you have lost. Sorry for letting you down guys but it's the dirty four letter word - work! Won't let you down again guys! All the best for tonight, yesterday, tomorrow?
Rusty (Papatoetoe, Auckland)
I have been watching every race with bated breath. It is great to see such a tight contest rather than a whitewash. I hope you get better wind conditions in Race 5. NZ want so much for you to win the cup and bring it home where it belongs. You can beat Alinghi. You have a great leader and crew, Peter Blake would be so proud of you. You can do it.
Bea & Murray Haslett
Keep it going team, we know you can do it and like all NZs we are 100 per cent with you. You won't let us down. But please no inside-outsiders jibing, the risks are too high! Lady Luck please be with you too.
Jim Hill (Menlo Park, California)
In regard to the protest by Team NZ over the main halyard lock issue, I disagree with the "commentators" quoted in your article. If the main could have been lowered without having to send a man all the way to the truck to release it, why in the world would Butterworth et al choose to send him up? The argument about risk to the battens and such seems phony to me since the halyard could be tailed properly to let the main down without damage, or it should be that way. By the way, I had a wonderful Farr55, Spellbound, built in Auckland way back in 1987 by Peter Sowman and sailed it to San Francisco via the Indian Ocean, Med, Atlantic, etc. We did not have a halyard lock for the main and could always lower it from the deck.
Alan
To John (USA): I can remember when an American Yacht Club held the cup, but only just. It is sooo long ago. If you are still bitter about this, take up a new aquatic pursuit, like bridge building. Then get over it.
Scrooge (Dunedin)
If the rules say unassisted then that is what it has to be, as for saying they were afraid of mainsail coming down well I dare say Team NZ were too but they didn't break the rules and make the mainsail undropable. So Alinghi could have had a sail failure and not been penalised for it. How do we know their gear is truly sea worthy as Team NZ has been? Void all the races give Alinghi 1 day for repairs and a 30sec delay at the start of a new race one and rerun the series!
Jurys...
To John of USA. Stop being a prat. NZ had full legit right to protest. They left it to the decision of the committee and were fine with the result. Unlike Swiss decision to moan about the wind and the wash when they lose and then to say we are unfair about a breach of sailing conduct.Go Kiwis, we are so proud and even though my sleep deprived body would have liked this to be the last race alas not meant to be but you are giving a great accounting of yourselves and your skills. Keep it up and show us Proud.
sailrow
Regarding the Kiwis protest after the 4th race being thrown out, I have a question for the Protest Committee, why they have rules if they are not going to enforce? I suspect the Europeans want to keep the Cup in Europe at any cost. Regarding the infringement by the Alighni crew, why in the name they have to send someone aloft to drop the main down, if the violation of the rules is not clear by the sequence of the event in question, I do not know what would be. The race should be re-sailed.
rick (switzerland)
About this protest: team NZ, what a bunch of syssies, we will win and keep this cup !
tnzrulz
Go get 'em Team NZ! We're so glad you guys were able to get to Valencia and get this far - we expected nothing less of you. Alinghi sure know you're there! Focus and keep the faith and you'll get the Cup for us. We have faith in you. I've watched every race since the round robins. Making the protest is just what anyone else would have done - and Alinghi would have done it to us, so think nothing bad of it. Go boys and bring it home. You deserve it!
Menlo Park, California
In regard to the protest by Team NZ over the main halyard lock issue, I disagree with the "commentators" quoted in your article. If the main could have been lowered without having to send a man all the way to the truck to release it, why in the world would Butterworth et al choose to send him up? The argument about risk to the battens and such seems phony to me since the halyard could be tailed properly to let the main down without damage....or it should be that way.By the way, I had a wonderful Farr55, Spellbound built in Auckland way back in 1987 by Peter Sowman and sailed it to San Francisco via the Indian Ocean, Med, Atlantic, etc. We did not have a halyard lock for the main and could always lower it from the deck. Regards, Jim Hill
Adam
Actually, I think there might be a bit in this protest. Helicopter shots show some very interesting activity on Alinghi boat after RO has requested the main be lowered. Halyard lines being pulled but not releasing, man on the mast disengaging line prior to lowering, mainsail kicked down. If one can't play by the rules (these guys pay lawyers a lot of money to interpret them correctly), one must be penalised. Alinghi would have done the precise same thing to ETNZ. Alls fair in Love and AC32
Craig & Sandy-Christchurch
Dear Emirates Team New Zealand,
My partner Sandy is taking today's loss very hard. You see, every match she has watched throughout the whole Louis Vuitton & America's Cup regatta you have won. She has stayed up into the wee small hours cheering you on and blames herself when she nods off and you lose. She is an absolute misery to be around when this happens - the constant sobbing is too much to bear. I will do my bit and ply her full of caffeine to keep her awake for the next 3 races and look forward to seeing you bring the cup back home with a 5-2 scoreline.
Wairarapa
Great work Team New Zealand! I had faith in you, Dean, when your team-mates jumped ship ('scuse the pun...) in 2003. With quiet confidence and experience behind you, you are doing us proud - keep it up!
Westie
Let's look at both boats. They seem to be equal in all conditions. Whilst each is of different designs they are still equal. That is they have to sail under the same conditions e.g. wash by spectator craft, climatic behaviours and misbehaviours etc. Then we must look at the crew of each yacht. One crew seems to be made up of a bunch money-hungry, ego-seeking, temper-tantrum inclined ex-Kiwis. I am sure everyone knows which boat I am referring to here. The other is made up of humble, determined and fantastic crew with a back-up crew of 4.2 million New Zealanders. Whomever wins the AC may they know to be humble and not let egos go to their heads. May King Neptune be with you Team New Zealand. We love you all so much. Blessings and great wishes.
Waitakere, (Auckland)
Good going, I hope to see that mug back here later this year!
Butler Richards - how silly that you feel the need to post such drivel here.
John Servais (Bellingham, USA)
For ETNZ to file such a chicken shit protest is sad - and NZ in general is shooting holes in their feet as fast as they can. I won't go into the nationalist crew thing this time. The Swiss won fair. You won fair yesterday. Your nation is really making a mess of your till now good reputation. Gawd knows my country has screwed up its sailing reputation. No reason for you guys to do the same.
Check www.sailinganarchy.com for what we are thinking. You guys are nuts to protest little stuff. I've followed these races since 58 and thought you guys were better than that.
Meg (Sydney)
Well done boys! 2 all is a great result and we are all so proud of you for making it this far. Know that the nation is behind you and will be regardless of the result. That said, I know you have the determination, strength & tenacity that can bring the Mug home!
Pat [Canada]
Tough break today guys. You have already shown that you can do it, Do it, Good luck on Friday.
Frances
No matter the outcome at the end of the day, you are putting New Zealand centre stage once again and making us all proud to be Kiwi. Fantastic sailing and sportsmanship both on and off the water. Go Team NZ.
Aquarius Gladstone (Queensland)
Two-a-piece, this is what you call the best of the bests. Two good teams fighting out at sea. One has character and looks, one has the money and no looks. Best Kiwi sailors in both boats but only one winner. My vote goes to Team New Zealand who showed the yachting world they could pick up the pieces from 2003 and build a strong foundation. Deano and team, we are very proud of you and behind you all the way. Hope race 5 goes your way and eventually bring the cup back home. You can do it.
Ecclesiastes
"All is vanity and a chasing after wind" -Ecclesiastes 1:14
Auckland
This "incident" did not happen at the end of the race, as stated in the article! It was discovered, by the measurers, that he boat was not safety compliant, according to the rules, after four races have been run. This is called cheating, that's fine, but don't get caught. ETNZ had no choice but to protest, else it becomes Raffaty's all over again.(Bring back the big boat and the cat) What a "Mickey Mouse" (All respect to Disney) outfit Alinghi must be, they should be penalized all four races ETNZ,4-Mickey Mouse, zip. Thems the rules you abide by them or lose out!
Kath (North Shore)
A very good race 4. Team NZ were asked to lodge a protest by a race offical, it was after the race had ended and, by Team NZ's own admission they were outraced on the day, I think they had every right to protest, I am sure if the shoe was on the other foot Alinghi would have. I still have faith in our boys/team but whatever the outcome the last three races have been the most exciting I have seen in my lifetime (and yes I was there when Aussie won it - that was one race). Go you good things
Richard
We're fully behind you Team NZ Get that cup and bring it home!
Anna
Go Team NZ! You have shown the world two phenomenal races already. For that, you are good enough to be kiwi heroes. Plus we know you will be the champion again.
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