The black boat proves all its critics wrong

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

As Black Magic slipped home yesterday after snatching the first victory of the America's Cup, tactician Brad Butterworth pointed one finger to the crowd and mouthed: "That's one, that's one."

Team New Zealand need to hold up four more fingers to make America's Cup history.

The entire defence team exhaled in relief as the black boat outgunned the silver Luna Rossa - firing a deft shot into the hearts of their critics.

"She's not a dog," smiled trimmer Simon Daubney, referring to Prada designer Doug Peterson's taunts last week that the boat would be slow.

If it were a dog, it would be a greyhound.

"It's a very nice boat and we're all pretty happy," added Daubney.

The 16 men on board - Team NZ dropped the "extra" 17th man yesterday - turned in a faultless debut performance.

They were wearing silver after discarding the new black shirts which saw them nearly cook in the heat during Saturday's aborted start.

It has been five years since the Team NZ crewmen have sailed a genuine Cup race - but everyone on board yesterday was a Cup veteran.

The Kiwis, as always, are taking care not to enthuse too much - even when those around them predicted a repeat 5-0 rout as in San Diego five years ago.

Although the New Zealand boat had the obvious speed edge in yesterday's race, the gutsy Italians were not fazed.

"It is the beginning ... Somebody had to win, somebody had to lose. It would be nice if it was the opposite, but it's just the first day," said skipper Francesco de Angelis.

Yachting experts had said that the black boat would not be able to match the speed of Luna Rossa in breezes under 12 knots.

As the southerlies fluctuated between 10 and 12 knots yesterday, Black Magic held her own upwind and down, eventually winning by a handsome 1m 17s.

"We weren't listening to people too much when they said we were a dog in the light, or dominant in the breeze," Daubney said.

The forecast is for a stronger, more settled wind in the next race tomorrow.

The decision not to take a 17th man on board made the black boat a fraction lighter. Prada stuck with their good luck charm, 73-year-old Renzo Guidi.

The two crews were blown away by the 2000-strong armada of boats forming a perfect triangle around the course.

Said de Angelis: "Today was huge. We had no problem sailing with that many boats around - but the helicopters were a bit of a problem when they mixed up the air."

Added Daubney: "I've never seen so many boats out there.

"If we had been in a closer race it might have been a problem - the way the spectators were like a funnel."