| AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND-(20-2-2003) Fickle weather on the Hauraki Gulf made it too difficult to set a fair race course on Thursday so the fourth race of the America’s Cup Match was postponed.
Principal Race Officer Harold Bennett tried for over two hours to start racing, but in the end, he decided the wind was just too shifty.
At the scheduled race start time of 13:15, the wind was very light, and although it soon picked up in strength, the direction was never settled with 30-degree shifts regularly sweeping across the course. Racing was called off for the day with the Southwest wind varying from 10 – 15 knots.
At 15:10, Bennett informed both teams that he felt the conditions wouldn’t improve in time to get a race in and sought their opinion. Team New Zealand immediately agreed, while Alinghi didn’t answer, saying it needed to consult with its weather team.
Under Condition 13 of the Notice of Race for the America’s Cup, no warning signal shall be made after 15:30 without the agreement of both teams.
At 15:20 Bennett asked both teams for permission to wait past the 15:30 time limit. Team New Zealand navigator Mike Drummond said the Kiwis felt it would be best to wait another day. Alinghi tactician Brad Butterworth was laughing when he told Bennett Alinghi was, ‘bitterly disappointed.’
Friday is scheduled as an ‘off’ day.
Race Four is now scheduled to start at 13:15 on Saturday.
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