New Zealand Forced to Bail Out of America's Cup Opener

After all the innovations — the lightweight boom, the 22-foot-long keel bulb, the high-tech rig — the fate of Team New Zealand today came down to the performance of the most primitive piece of onboard gear: the bucket.

Swamped by waves on the windy, spectator-fleet-jammed Hauraki Gulf, Team New Zealand's yacht experienced a series of gear failures in the opening minutes of Race 1 of the five-of-nine-race America's Cup against the Swiss team Alinghi. While the boats were still on the first leg, the New Zealand skipper, Dean Barker, withdrew his yacht from the match, one that four million Kiwis had been anticipating for three years.
[more]