America's Cup all square as New Zealand protest fails

America's Cup racing between Alinghi and Team New Zealand will resume today with everything still to play for after the race jury dismissed a protest by the Kiwis over the rig on Alinghi's SUI100.

The protest and ensuing five-hour race jury hearing took up much of the rest day, with both teams taking stock and honing their race plans after Alinghi squared the best-of-nine series 2-2 with an impressive display of match racing.

"The jury dismissed the protest by a majority decision," an America's Cup official said.

Racing for the coveted 156-year-old trophy is scheduled to resume with the fifth race this afternoon in what has been among the closest series in recent America's Cup history.

If the five-member race jury, which conducted the hearing behind closed doors at race headquarters in Valencia, had ruled against Alinghi, penalties could have ranged from a fine to having a point deducted or a re-sail called.

Swiss syndicate Alinghi, bankrolled by Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, levelled the series 2-2 on Wednesday, beating the Kiwis by 30 seconds.

New Zealand's protest was over the way Alinghi's mainsail is attached when it is hoisted up the mast. The mainsail is pulled up using a piece of rope called a halyard which is then fastened using a halyard lock.

Under the strict racing rules of the America's Cup the crews must be able to drop their sails from the deck, without having to send anyone aloft.

Race officials inspected SUI100 and Team New Zealand's NZL92 as the boats returned to port following Wednesday's race which Alinghi dominated from the start.