Yachting: Botched start takes the wind out of Team NZ's sails

MALMO - A few seconds proved costly for Team New Zealand, who sent their boat's multi-coloured bow across the start line too early in the America's Cup regatta at Malmo, Sweden.

In the biggest upset of the match-racing regatta so far, Italian syndicate +39 beat Team New Zealand by 1m 06s.

Although it is the New Zealanders' first loss in the regatta, it is a loss they could have done without heading into their final three races against Victory Challenge, BMW Oracle Racing (sailed overnight) and the undefeated defenders, Alinghi, tonight.

After a comfortable 1m 12s win over France's K-Challenge, the Emirates-sponsored Kiwi syndicate were expected to sail away against +39.

The Italians are racing the oldest boat in the fleet, the 2000-generation former Swiss boat ITA59.

But the New Zealand team made a rare unforced error and were over the start line too early, which required them to turn back and recross, handing the Italian side a 30s lead.

The Italians then sailed a smart, almost flawless race and although Team New Zealand closed the gap on a couple of occasions, they could not find the wind shifts to push past.

Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said his team simply gave away too much at the start.

Until the loss, Team New Zealand had been performing reasonably well in the pre-starts.

In their first seven races, they had lost just one start, and that was by a mere second to Luna Rossa.

In the other six, they had either equalled or beaten their opponents across the line.

Starting is such a key area of the race. Previous cup regattas have shown that 75 per cent of the races are won by the team who win the start and the first cross.

But a good start is a complex procedure involving time and distance, and constant communication between bowman and afterguard.

"All the teams are working pretty hard on it," said Team New Zealand's Jeremy Lomas, who is alternating the bowman's role with Stuart Bettany.

New Zealand helmsman Gavin Brady quit the BMW Oracle Racing team last night.

Brady had been sailing as tactician.

Oracle said Brady resigned after he was unable to agree on the terms of his future role.

He is the second prominent member of the team's afterguard to leave in the last two months following the departure of world-class American tactician John Kostecki.

Brady had been moved from the helm into the tactician's role. Taking his place at the wheel was the syndicate's chief executive, Chris Dickson, and on occasions Oracle boss Larry Ellison.

Brady was on the boat for the side's opening eight races in which Oracle won seven, losing only to defenders Alinghi.

The first signs of trouble came when Brady's name was missed from the crew list for the syndicate's races yesterday against Mascalzone Latino and Emirates Team New Zealand.

Former Team New Zealand tactician and Frenchman Bertrand Pace was named in his place.

Rumours of unhappiness within the team continue to plague the syndicate. Along with Brady and Kostecki, Dirk de Ridder resigned to carry out the round-the-world race, while Tony Kolb and Noel Drennan have been granted leave to also do the round-the-world race, but are free to return if they want.

Although Dickson continues to pull out the line of "we are a strong team, we are on track", his actions suggest otherwise.

Dickson now refuses to take questions from the Herald. In a media gathering after the second day of racing, Dickson flatly refused to answer a question about whether he was happy to be back at the helm.

"Do I have to answer that," he barked at the team's officer.

It appears Dickson is unhappy about the publicity his team has been getting in New Zealand and believes there is too much focus on Emirates Team NZ and not enough on his side, who include a number of New Zealanders.

* United internet Team Germany boss Uwe Sasse has sacked the team's sport director, Andreas John.

It is understood the team are suffering internal problems.