GBR Challenge fall short

The British crew were impressive in the pre-starts

GBR Challenge lost their only race on Friday to miss out on the final of the International regatta in Auckland.

In the fifth race of the pre-America's Cup friendly series, GBR Challenge trailed Sweden's Victory Challenge by four minutes despite winning the pre-start.

Friday's sixth race was postponed due to a lack of wind in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf.

Britain's America's Cup entry needed to win both its last two races - and hope OneWorld lost both theirs - to reach the final against Team New Zealand.

Skipper Ian Walker's GBR 52 beat OneWorld, of the United States, on Thursday for their solitary victory of the series.

They trailed in last in Monday's fleet race and lost other match-races against OneWorld, Sweden's Victory Challenge and Dean Barker's America's Cup defender Team New Zealand.

"The starts have been good - we've won every start and managed to put three penalties on teams"

GBR Challenge skipper Ian Walker

But sailing manager Walker, installed as permanent skipper on Monday, was upbeat about his crew's first competitive races against America's Cup rivals in Auckland waters.

"We said at the beginning of the week that we were looking to sail as a team and that was more important than results," Walker told the GBR Challenge website.

"We have sailed really well, the team work has been good and the starts have been good - we've won every start and managed to put three penalties on teams.

"There's a lot we can take from this, particularly as we might alter some of our race strategies when we have our new boat."

GBR Challenge will take delivery of its brand new America's Cup Class boat in Cowes, Isle of Wight, in April.

In Friday's other race, Peter Gilmour skippered OneWorld to a win over Team New Zealand, giving both the Americans and the Swedes the chance to qualify for Sunday's International regatta final.

The Louis Vuitton Cup, the challengers' series for the right to race Team New Zealand for the America's Cup in February 2003, will begin in Auckland in October.