Team New Zealand takes 3-0 lead in America's Cup

It was a game of "follow-the-leader" as Team New Zealand led the Italian Prada Challenge around the course this afternoon during the third race for the America's Cup.

Finishing 1:39 ahead, the "Black Boat" took a 3-0 lead in the series, and now needs to win only two of the six remaining races.

The New Zealanders made large gains on each of the windward legs, while the Italians narrowed the gap slightly when sailing downwind in a southerly breeze of 12-15 knots.

Team New Zealand successfully defended the favoured right hand side of the course during a tacking duel on the first leg, building a 1-second advantage at the starting line into a 19-second margin by the first mark.

Although the lead never changed hands, there were a few moments of tension on each yacht near the middle of the race.

Early in the 4th leg, Prada deftly changed from a gennaker to a spinnaker, to take advantage of strengthening winds. Although the "spinnaker peel" manoeuvre can be tricky, the Italians performed it flawlessly and had picked up 11 seconds at the leeward mark.

While Prada gained speed with its spinnaker, Team New Zealand pondered what to do about its gennaker, which had apparently snagged on the forestay during an earlier gybe, causing a section of the foot to tear away.

With only a few minutes left before the leeward mark, the New Zealanders opted not to change sails. They successfully gybed the damaged gennaker and carried it to the mark with their lead intact.

The crews will meet again tomorrow for Race 4 on the Hauraki Gulf, off Auckland.