We are match fit, says Barker

By JULIE ASH

Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker is adamant the team's in-house racing was competitive enough, despite the results so far.

Heading into race three today, Team New Zealand trail Alinghi 2-0 in the first-to-five-wins match.

After retiring from the first race with gear failure, Team New Zealand's second loss was the result of a tactical blunder by the team's afterguard on the home straight.

The defenders were well ahead at the last mark but failed to gybe early enough, which allowed Alinghi to secure the better breeze and a 7s win.

But despite the 2-0 scoreline, Barker is confident Team New Zealand's in-house training with their two boats, NZL81 and NZL82, has prepared them well enough to deal with pressure situations.

"I don't believe it [Sunday's result] was a result of a lack of in-house competition," he said.

"Our in-house racing has been equally as hard, if not closer at times with [back-up helmsman] Bertrand [Pace] and the guys we have been sailing against on NZL81."

While Alinghi sailed 28 races in the Louis Vuitton challenger series to get to the match, the only racing the defenders have done has been among themselves.

"I don't think we are disadvantaged at all," said Barker. "Our in-house racing has been at as high a level as we could hope for. There have been no easy races.

"The big difference is that we don't get to race a boat with different strengths and weaknesses. The advantage the challengers have is racing a variety of boats and they learn how their loading is relative to those boats."

Barker said Team New Zealand have trained on boats that were very similar and have had to be careful not to sail themselves into a corner.

Just before the match they invited Prada helmsman Rod Davis to train with them and help mix things up a bit.

It is now make-or-break for Team New Zealand. A loss would be a huge blow for the young home crew and would leave them with the daunting task of having to beat Russell Coutts and his team of seasoned sailors five times in the next six races.

But Team New Zealand can take some confidence from their performance in the last race. They were slightly faster on every leg, apart from the last one.

"I think the boats are close," said Alinghi tactician Brad Butterworth. "I think you are going to have to sail well to win. On Sunday it was the crew work on our boat which kept us in the game. We just had to wait for them to make a mistake and they did."

Today's forecast is for northwesterly winds between 12 and 17 knots.

Racing is scheduled to start at 1.15pm. Tomorrow is a layday and the outlook for Thursday is for slightly stronger westerly winds ranging between 18 and 25 knots.

Continuous coverage of today's America's Cup race will begin on nzherald.co.nz at 12.30pm.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

Racing schedule and results