Disappointing results in the Louis Vuitton Challenger finals in Auckland have led to starting helmsman Andy Green being replaced on GBR Challenge's Wight Lightning.

The decision to switch to the more experienced Titchfield yachtsman Andy Beadsworth for this weekend's round robin against Prada's Luna Rossa came after selection meetings involving general manager David Barnes, skipper Ian Walker, sailing manager Paul Standbridge and coach Bill Edgerton.

They have now used 22 of the 34 sailing squad in the yacht's 16-man crew over four race days.

From the outset of the campaign, Peter Harrison's team have insisted that there would be a rotational policy during the Louis Vuitton Cup in both sets of round robins but, after speculation that Green had been axed, issued a clarifying statement:

"Andy Green continues to be a very valuable member of the GBR Challenge afterguard and one of our key starting helmsmen," a spokesman said.

"GBR Challenge has always identified their sailing team as a squad and therefore we have the ability to rotate crew dependent on their performance, the conditions and the opposition."

Beadsworth, a former Olympian in the Soling class, lost out to Southampton University graduate Green, an accomplished match racer, during the training stages and the first races in the competition but now gets his chance to seal his place for the remainder of the first round, set to finish on Tuesday.

Green's best result was in the match against French boat Le Defi Areva when Wight Lightning arrived late into the starting area after suffering a batten problem minutes before the starting gun was fired.

Light winds resulted in a third consecutive day's racing being lost this week, leaving organisers with problems over fitting in the remaining races between the nine challengers before the cut-off day next Tuesday.

But stronger winds have been forecast today and for the weekend and, if the schedule is not completed, outstanding ties will be accommodated in the second round robin.

Other GBR Challenge crew changes saw Ben Morrison-Jack replacing Jonathan Taylor in the pit/runner position, Toby Isles taking over from Simon Fry as a trimmer and Ian Weighell from Guy Reid at grinding.

Wight Lightning (left) trails the Italian syndicate Mascalzone Latino in the Hauraki Gulf off Auckland, New Zealand. GBR were losing by 56 seconds when the flight was abandoned after almost two hours racing because the wind gradually died off.