The winds are blowing out of the north/northwest between 10 and 15 knots, and are forecast to build towards 20 knots by the end of the day as a cold front passes over New Zealand’s NorthIsland. Seas are lumpy as the northerly winds are producing a swell.

Team New Zealand, trailing Alinghi 2-0 in the first-to-five series, is staring at a daunting prospect today. They desperately need to win to right their psyche.

Skipper Dean Barker looked devastated after Sunday’s 7-second loss, where Team New Zealand gave away a golden opportunity to even the score at 1-1. That’s the type of loss that will stay in the back of a skipper’s mind and eat away at him. Only a victory will right his psyche.

Three times in the past a team has come back from 2-0 down to win the Cup. Challenger Australia II was the most recent to do it in 1983. Twice the Aussies faced two-race deficits, 2-0 and 3-1, to Defender Liberty before coming back to win the series 4-3.

Farther back in time, American defenders twice faced 2-0 deficits before winning the Auld Mug. Resolute trailed Irish Challenger Shamrock IV 2-0 in 1920 before winning 3-2. Likewise, Rainbow trailed British Challenger Endeavour 2-0 in 1934 before rallying for a 4-2 victory.

Standing in his path, however, is Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts. The former Team New Zealand skipper has won 11 consecutive races as skipper of an America’s Cup yacht dating back to 1995. No other skipper has won as many Cup races without a defeat.

Team New Zealand’s crew list is the same as it was for Races 1 and 2 (see Morning Briefing), while Alinghi has made two changes to their 16-man roster. Grinders Will McCarthy (30, Australia) and Kai Bjorn (34, Canada) replace Enrico de Maria (26, Switzerland) and John Barnitt (41, United States).

Team New Zealand (NZL-82) vs. Alinghi (SUI-64)

Alinghi leads first-to-five series, 2-0

Start time: 13:15 hours

Bearing and range to first windward mark: 330 degrees, 3.25 miles

PRE-START

Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts brought his SUI-64 into the start box on starboard tack at the committee boat end while Dean Barker brought NZL-82 in on port tack from the pin end.

A right-hand shift in the win just prior to the 5-minute preparatory signal biased the line and allowed Barker, on port, to cross Coutts.

There was more circling in today’s pre-start than there has been in the first two races combined. But by 1:20, both boats were lined up on starboard, with Alinghi to windward, and heading for the line.

Coutts rolled Barker as they aimed towards the leeward end of the line and got clear ahead. Barker then got a leeward hook and forced Coutts to luff head-to-wind, where both boats sat for a few moments.

With 20 seconds to the start Barker fell off onto starboard and Coutts onto port. Coutts did a better speed build and crossed the line at the committee boat end a few seconds ahead of Barker, who was at the pin end.

After getting the right side of the course, Coutts opened a significant lead early in the beat of more than 150 metres as the wind continued to shift to the right, as far as 345 degrees.

Source: Event editor