Alinghi level America's Cup series

Holders Alinghi bounced back in the America's Cup yesterday and levelled the best-of-nine series 2-2, beating New Zealand by 30 seconds but then facing a protest from the Kiwis about their boat's rig.

Team New Zealand lodged the protest against Alinghi over the way its mainsail is attached when it is hoisted up the mast.

Earlier, race officials had inspected Alinghi's SUI100 and Team New Zealand's NZL92 as the boats returned to port following a race which Alinghi had led from the start.

"The jury will hear the protest regarding the halyard lock at 11 a.m. (0900 GMT) on Thursday," an America's Cup official said.

The race jury can impose a range of sanctions if a team is found to have violated a technical regulation, ranging from a fine to deducting a point, a resail or ultimately disqualification from the America's Cup.

Today is a "lay" or rest day for the crews, with racing scheduled to resume tomorrow.

The Kiwis had tried everything to get past the defending Swiss-led syndicate of Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli.

But Bertarelli's crew defended their lead impressively, frustrating Team New Zealand's attempts in an almost flawless demonstration of match racing. "I've learned more in the last four days about the America's Cup than I learned in the last seven years," Bertarelli told reporters.

"It's 2-2 and we need to win five races and that's all that matters."

Team New Zealand paid tribute to Alinghi's racing but are ready to come back and fight when the match resumes.

"Alinghi changed their style. They were a lot more defensive today and they didn't really give us much space to breathe," said Grant Loretz, a sail-trimmer for Team New Zealand.

"We're pretty excited.... the defenders know we're here."

The America's Cup, named after the US yacht which first won it in 1851, is known in sailing circles as the "Auld Mug".

Winning it has been an obsession for wealthy individuals, with Bertarelli and Oracle founder Larry Ellison two of the most recent tycoons to have made it their mission to lift the Cup.

Alinghi had complained about the decision to hold the third race on Tuesday in inconsistent wind conditions but they put any disappointment behind them and took an early lead in the fourth.

The winds were light but more stable than on Tuesday and the race got away on time, with both teams setting off upwind towards the left of the course.

Choppy waters

Sailing through choppy waters, the teams were neck and neck on the first windward leg, with the Kiwis matching Alinghi for speed and direction as the early Swiss lead ebbed and flowed.

At the halfway mark, Alinghi lost speed but still rounded 34 seconds ahead as Team New Zealand went for the left-hand mark and with it the left side of the course.

But Alinghi still led at the last mark by 25 seconds. This left the Kiwis to chase down the final downwind leg, but unable to replicate the stunning surge they managed on Tuesday to beat Alinghi in the final stages of a classic race.