KEY POINTS:
The America's Cup's most successful skipper, Russell Coutts, backs Team New Zealand to get past Italy's Luna Rossa in the challengers' final off Valencia.
The Grant Dalton-led Team NZ, on balance, had to be considered favourites for the best-of-nine Louis Vuitton Cup final beginning tomorrow, he told British journalist Magnus Wheatley.
Coutts said Luna Rossa was impressive and helmsman James Spithill sailed "very, very well" in the semifinal defeat of Americans Oracle Racing.
"However, Team NZ is a much more different proposition and I have to say that I like the look of the Kiwi boat and I see areas where it will have advantages," he said. "I think it could be a little quicker downwind, especially if the breeze is lighter."
Coutts, speaking in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, said both teams had the ability to develop and fine-tune equipment, "so it will be interesting".
He believed the afterguards were equal but Dean Barker was capable of turning on a big performance, "so I would say, on balance, that Team NZ have got to be favourites".
"It will come down to the people, because if one team has an off day, then they will lose it for sure."
Coutts, 45, was Team NZ's winning skipper in 1995 and 2000, before helping Swiss challengers Alinghi to take the America's Cup off his former syndicate in 2003.
He later fell out with Alinghi boss Ernesto Bertarelli and the parties parted company two years ago under a settlement that prevented Coutts from sailing for another team this year.
Coutts poured cold water on speculation that he would make a shock return to the helm of Alinghi when the Cup match begins in three weeks.
"That's just a ridiculous rumour. No, that won't happen."
- NZPA
