No-one Expected This!

It will go down as possibly the greatest race in America's Cup history - at least in the eyes of New Zealanders.

Emirates Team New Zealand mounted a dramatic come-back victory in Valencia this morning to win race three of the regatta.

They now lead the series 2-1.

But it could and probably should have been so different.

Team New Zealand had its foot on Alinghi's throat after the first beat, opening up a staggering and seemingly insurmountable 1min 23s lead at the first mark. But then disaster struck.

Kiwi mid-bowman Richard Meachem was temporarily lost overboard shortly before rounding the second mark.

The crew error at first appeared to be a blip. Meachem dragged himself back on deck via a safety line. But the pivotal moment created chaos when rounding the mark.

Team New Zealand's spinnaker was caught in a genoa block and while the Kiwis were fighting to cut a genoa sheet to free it, Alinghi charged up the left side of the course and unbelievably lead by 15 seconds at mark three.

It was an incredible reversal of fortunes and the match appeared over.
But the drama was far from over.

Alinghi held a 100 metres lead so Team New Zealand was forced to gamble and jibe away, hoping to discover a magic puff of wind on the left side of the course.

With only minutes left the wind, which had oscillated all day, filled their sails and they charged past Alinghi eventually winning by 25 seconds.
Alinghi was shell shocked.

There was no other way to react.

And after losing in such dramatic fashion it remains uncertain whether they can drag themselves back into this regatta.

The race nearly didn't start.

Wind conditions were light but extremely shifty and race official Peter Reggio delayed the start by two hours and then waited until the last minute possible to start proceedings.

Team New Zealand appeared to have made a hash of the start with Alinghi immediately gaining a handy two boat-length lead off the line.

But Team New Zealand's decision to forego speed off the line to protect the right paid massive dividends. They hooked into a huge right wind shift opening up a 300 metre lead.

Team New Zealand then defended on the first downwind run but then Meachem lost his balance and the Kiwis crumbled.

The team redeemed themselves though, in classic fashion and now need only three more victories to bring the auld mug home.

Article courtesy of www.stuff.co.nz