KEY POINTS:
Team New Zealand's new yacht, NZL92, began informal racing off Valencia for the first time today, going head to head with Luna Rossa's own new boat, ITA94.
Informal competition is an established part of America's Cup preparations and Team NZ are scheduled to go out on the water later this week against Mascalzone Latino and Oracle.
While the contests were run according to strict match-racing rules and all teams were determined to do well, syndicate head Grant Dalton said results were not the most important thing.
"We get a close look at the opposition hardware and crew work developments since July last year," he said.
"It also keeps our sailing crew sharp while we get to know more about the Valencian breeze and sea state under race conditions."
Last week, Team NZ's other boat, NZL84, also raced against Luna Rossa.
Dalton said the syndicate's yacht-testing phase was completed in Auckland before the two boats were flown to Spain last month. The sailing programme resumed last week.
He said the emphasis in the final phase of preparations before the challengers' series begins next month was on race preparation and gaining more knowledge of local conditions.
"We are confident the designers, boatbuilders and shore crew have provided the sailing team with competitive and reliable race yachts," he said.
"We are very pleased with the way our programme has moved straight from Auckland to Valencia. Now we are fine-tuning sailing team performance."
Meanwhile, Dalton scoffed at website claims that NZL92 had received structural damage in strong winds last week.
"It seems to me that someone was being mischievous, which is what we expect leading up to the regattas," he said.
"The truth is that 84 and 92 sailed early last Wednesday because the weather forecast was not good. The intention was to return to base early in the afternoon, ahead of the strengthening wind."
Dalton said Team NZ decided to remove the rigs, as did most other syndicates, and put the boats in the shed to avoid a possible repeat of the storm damage that hit NZL82 in Marseille in 2004.
He said Thursday was a maintenance day and Friday was a race day for NZL84. The entire team took the weekend off.
On Monday, both boats were out sailing again, but in disappointingly light conditions.
- NZPA
