GBR Challenge slipped to fifth place in the Louis Vuitton Challenger series in Auckland this week after suffering emphatic defeats by the American OneWorld team and regatta favourites, Alinghi of Switzerland though they picked up a point against Italian team Mascalzone Latino.
The Alinghi team, which comprises mostly of the former Team New Zealand crew who won the last America's Cup in 2000, were at home in the familiar waters of the Hauraki Gulf waters.
That gave them a distinct advantage over the British, who struggled to cope with the squalls and 90 degree wind shifts and crossed the finish line seven minutes and 45 seconds behind.
The shift, which occurred on the first beat, forced race officials to reset a new leeward mark after the Swiss had won the pre-start then reached the first weather mark one minute and 42 seconds ahead of Ian Walkers team.
At the new mark, confusion reigned and red flags started to appear as Alinghi extended their lead.
SUI 64 rounded two minutes and twenty seconds ahead of GBR Challenge.
A squall came through, again shifting the breeze and increasing its strength for five minutes. But the better pressure enabled the Swiss team to increase their lead.
The wind died down the final run, as GBR 70 took a flier on the right-hand side of the course and watched as a new band of pressure allowed Alinghi to finish just in time.
GBR Challenge launched a protest, hoping to have the race scrapped, but rules state a protest can only be upheld if errors committed by race officials affected the outcome of the race.
Earlier in the week, Wight Lightning lost to cup leaders OneWorld when racing resumed following four days of gale force winds and postponements.
In a close tussle in the pre-start and during the first upwind leg, the American OneWorld syndicate displayed better boat speed to establish an unassailable lead over GBR Challenge. OneWorld, who had only lost one match since the regatta started went on to win a shortened 12.5-mile match by one minute and five seconds.
Against Mascalzone Latino, GBR Challenge won by one minute and 40 seconds. The British team led from start tofinish to record their second victory of the second Round Robin.
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