KEY POINTS:
Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton was more than pleased with his team's performance in two trial races against America's Cup holders Alinghi off Valencia today.
Team New Zealand surprised Spanish onlookers with an unofficial hitout against Ernesto Bertarelli's Swiss juggernaut.
Dalton said their motivation for the trial was purely crew practice ahead of meeting Luna Rossa.
"After a week of non-racing, for Dean it was a good opportunity to get starting against someone different rather than in-house," Dalton told Radio Sport.
"It was more about getting our guys re-energised before Friday. I thought it was a really good day.
"Dean won both starts, I thought. We certainly got what we wanted."
Team New Zealand, preparing for the first race of the Louis Vuitton challengers' final against Italy's Luna Rossa on Saturday morning (NZ time), took on the Swiss in two trial races. It is believed the honours were shared, however, some reports have Alinghi winning both races.
Although the races reduced, New Zealand race officer Harold Bennett set a start line and course while umpires policed the race.
Dalton said any information they gleaned about Alinghi would be placed firmly on the backburner.
"They're fast, no doubt about that, buy we knew that before we went out today," he said.
"But we're not thinking about Alinghi at this stage.
"I wonder if Oracle was thinking about who they would race in the final when they raced Luna Rossa (in their Louis Vuitton semifinal defeat) and got ahead of themselves.
"We want to beat Luna Rossa before we move on."
Dalton doubted whether Alinghi would learned too much from the New Zealanders.
"We took our old boat, had a different configuration of our keel, bulb and rudder. It was an old mast and old sails," he said.
"We didn't want to risk showing them our weapon and them ramming us on purpose. That sort of thing goes on."
A journalist from the yachtingworld website concluded that Alinghi looked quick but showed some weaknesses.
"From watching the boats close up there was little doubt that Alinghi ... has speed but lacks poise," the website said.
"Compared to the Kiwis their sail handling wasn't as slick as Barker's crew with a dusty leeward drop and some shaky gybes.
"The Kiwis on the other hand looked slick and professional in their manoeuvres, but lacked pace."
- NZPA, NZ HERALD STAFF
