Alinghi hopes to sail away with Cup

Alinghi can feel the breeze, and another America's Cup trophy just might be waiting in the wind.

The defending champion Swiss lead their New Zealand challengers 4-2 in the best-of-nine series, with yachting's showpiece event possibly decided Tuesday.

Both teams spent Monday reviewing video coverage after Sunday's race was postponed because of a variable breeze. The forecasts call for a steadier breeze Tuesday, building to a strong gust through the afternoon _ just what the Swiss want.

Alinghi didn't want a repeat of the third race, when it made up a deficit in shifting conditions only to lose in a classic finish to Emirates Team New Zealand.

Alinghi's SUI-100 yacht was designed for Valencia's strong sea breeze. Another day's wait could be the extra advantage the Swiss need to become only the third nation to retain the Auld Mug in its 156-year history, joining New Zealand and the United States.

The Kiwis face three must-win races against the defending champions.

"While there is a chance, we are a still a dangerous team," Kiwi skipper Dean Barker said. "I believe we are a good enough team to get ourselves back into it."

Alinghi is not about to get overconfident.

"We're quite happy with the performance of SUI-100, but we weren't brash to believe that boat speed would win this event," Alinghi design coordinator Grant Simmer said. "Obviously, you always hope for a strong speed advantage."

However, the NZL-92 yacht has kept pace with its counterpart through the series, even looking stronger on the upwind legs of racing.

If not for a meltdown in the fifth race _ in which the Kiwis lost two sails and the lead _ the closest series in 24 years could now be even. Only three America's Cup regattas have been as closely contested as this one.

"We were always concerned that Emirates Team New Zealand would come through the Louis Vuitton Cup ... ready for a tough contest," Simmer said. "Differences are now negated and the toughest races throughout this regatta have taken place over this week."

Simmer knows it's not over yet.

The Australian was the navigator aboard Australia II in 1983 as it rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to beat Liberty 4-3 in the best-of-seven series. That victory ended a 132-year-old American stranglehold on the Auld Mug. The competition is named for its first winner, the U.S. yacht America, in 1851.

"In '83 we had to wait quite a lot in light conditions and we had to win three straight as well which was a difficult position for us," Simmer said. "It's so close now, where every couple of meters you can gain up the race course is going to be significant."

At least two Kiwi team members found it hard to stay away from sailing Monday, racing their remote-control model sailboats from the team dock.

The real work on the water awaits.