Yachting: Team NZ leading Cup challenger

Team New Zealand have continued to show they are capable of winning back the America's Cup after emerging the top challenger in the first of this year's pre-regattas.

The syndicate finished second behind Alinghi in the match-racing regatta and third behind Team Luna Rossa and Alinghi in the fleet-racing regatta which concluded yesterday in Valencia.

Sweden's Victory Challenge won the fleet-racing regatta on the water but were later disqualified from race four after an unusual amount of water (160-180 litres) was found in the bottom of their boat during a routine inspection.

For the first time the pre-regattas count, if only in a small way, towards the Louis Vuitton Cup in 2007. As defenders, Alinghi's points are eliminated, which means Team New Zealand are next best.

For Emirates-sponsored Team New Zealand their success in Valencia is a continuation of their efforts last year, when they won the 2004 America's Cup Class Championship, a culmination of their results in three regattas.

"We are still at the top of the challenger tree and I am happy about that," Dalton, the syndicate's managing director, said from Valencia.

"If the America's Cup was tomorrow, then we would be racing Alinghi, who would beat us.

"I think Alinghi is still doing a better job and we have to bridge that gap."

Alinghi were solid, particularly in the match-racing regatta, where they were unbeaten in 11 races. Their crew work was flawless, afterguard near perfect and their yacht, SUI75, seemed a fraction faster than the rest.

"I think what we are seeing is that they have moved on from [Russell] Coutts and with the likes of Murray [Jones], Simon [Daubney], Warwick [Fleury], Brad [Butterworth] and with Peter Holmberg at the helm ... it now looks like a pretty seamless change," Dalton said.

In relation to boat speed, Dalton reckons NZL82 probably slots in behind Alinghi and Oracle and alongside Team Luna Rossa (formerly Prada).

But that is expected to change next year when the syndicates have their new boats.

Going into these acts, Dalton was keen to see whether improvements to NZL82 were in the right direction, with construction on the first of their two new boats about to start. The new design specifications include new rigs, bigger sails and carbon fibre battens. How their opponents had approached the changes was of interest to all the teams.

"Nothing surprised us," Dalton said. "The keels, bulbs and configurations that we were running last year tend to be more of the norm now. We were sort of the exception last year with long bulbs and stuff now they have all come that way.

"Sail-wise I think our programme is up there, rig-wise we are pretty close. The thing is these events bring the cream to the top and everyone ends up about the same."

As for the sailing team, Dalton said, their handling of the boat was "as good as any".

The new-look afterguard, comprising helmsman and skipper Dean Barker, tactician Terry Hutchinson, navigator Kevin Hall and strategists Adam Beashel and Ray Davies performed well but "Alinghi's afterguard functioned the best".

There are another eight pre-regattas before the 2007 event, four of which will be sailed this year.

"Certain areas of the campaign are on the pace and certain areas, I think, are not right and that is what this is about," Dalton said.

"Last year I felt we were very coarse and learning how to be a team. This year, as I look out on 55 guys having dinner, we are a team."

2005 pre-regattas

Acts 5 and 6: Sweden Aug 25-Sept 5

Acts 7 and 8: Italy Sept 29-Oct 9