[Editor's Note: Understandably, the whole world was watching Race 5 as it would potentially redirect the fate of the Silver Ewer. Somehow, Virtual Spectator did not anticipate the load on its current server configuration or the bandwidth that would be required to support the voracious appetite of fans for the live data. A crushing failure and disappointment to the loyal end users who'd signed up and faithfully followed all along via this channel since last year - many could not get access. If you had trouble getting into the live data feed, what follows is the update this page offered from reports coming through other sites generated IN New Zealand.]

Team New Zealand (NZL-82) vs. Alinghi (SUI-64)
Alinghi led the first-to-five series going into Race 5, 4-0

Start time: 1315 hours, March 2, 2003. Bearing and range to first windward mark: 025 degrees, 3.25 miles. Windspeed: 12-13 knots.

PRE-START:

Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts brought his SUI-64 into the start box on starboard tack at the committee boat end while Dean Barker brought NZL-82 in on port tack from the pin end.

Coutts won another start from Barker, crossing the line 1 second ahead.

With the winds around 12 knots, the boats were lively in the 5-minute pre-start. Team New Zealand was able to cross Alinghi, and a bit of circling occurred in the lower right of the box.

Team New Zealand, leading away from the line, jibed away to starboard with about 2:35 to the start. Coutts, in his familiar trailing position, let them go. He chose to harden up a bit and tack to starboard.

The two were lined up heading back to the line with 1:20 to go, Alinghi to windward of Team NZ by about 1.5 boatlengths. Barker tried to stuff it from leeward, hoping to close gauge with Coutts and hinder his speed build, but was too far away and couldn?t get to him.

Coutts started to windward of Barker, and Alinghi immediately began sailing higher than Team New Zealand. Coutts and crew opened an early lead of 30 meters just 5 minutes into the race.

FIRST WINDWARD MARK: Alinghi leads by 0:21

Alinghi stayed to the right of Team New Zealand all beat, where there was better pressure and right-hand shifts. They won the first cross, as they have throughout the Cup Match, and are in control of Race 5.

A pair of long drag races afforded spectators a great opportunity to compare the conventional SUI-64 and the radical NZL-82. The winds were blowing 12 to 14 knots and there was a slight chop.

There was a long starboard-tack drag off the start line with Alinghi to windward of Team New Zealand, and a long port-tack drag with Team New Zealand on Alinghi?s windward quarter. Both times, Alinghi gained distance.

SUI-64 is able to sail slightly higher than Team New Zealand. So when it was to weather it lifted away and when it was on the Kiwi?s lee bow it lifted into their course.

The race committee has changed the course axis five degrees right to 030 degrees. The the first leeward mark bears 210 degrees, and both boats have set symmetrical spinnakers for the 3-mile leg.

FIRST LEEWARD MARK: Alinghi leads by 0:18

Team New Zealand made a 3-second gain on the first run. They were slightly advantaged by being the trailing boat. They were getting the puffs sooner than Alinghi.

Alinghi also had a shocker of a jibe more than half way down the run. They were slow lowering the spinnaker pole and clearing it through the fore triangle. That allowed Team New Zealand to take nearly a length out of Alinghi?s lead.

The race committee has shifted the course axis five degrees left, back to 025 degrees. They had shifted it to 030 degrees for the first run.

SECOND WINDWARD MARK: Alinghi leads by 0:16

Team New Zealand continues to close on Alinghi, gaining back another 2 seconds on the third leg of Race 5.

While Alinghi is halfway to victory in the fifth race of the America?s Cup, their crewwork has been unsettled for the last hour. First, there was a botched jibe on the first run that allowed Team New Zealand to close a length. More recently, there was a miscommunication between the afterguard and the bow team.

Alinghi tactician Brad Butterworth told the bow team, Dean Phipps and Curtis Blewett that they?d have enough time on starboard tack to put the spinnaker pole on the mast.

But Phipps and Blewett decided to put it on before tacking, preventing Coutts from tacking when Butterworth told him to. Both Coutts and Butterworth could be heard on television telling everyone to keep their heads in the game.

The course to the leeward mark is 205 degrees. Alinghi is flying a symmetrical spinnaker and Team New Zealand an A-sail. The wind continues to average 12 knots, with gusts up to 14 or 15 knots.

SECOND LEEWARD MARK: Alinghi leads by 0:31

Alinghi doubled its lead in the first 5 minutes of the run. With both boats on port jibe, Alinghi, off Team New Zealand?s leeward bow, was able to soak lower in a header.

Alinghi was flying a bigger symmetric spinnaker compared to Team New Zealand?s asymmetric sail, which allowed the Swiss yacht to square back and project more sail area to the breeze.

Alinghi added a significant amount to its lead three-quarters of the way down the run when Team New Zealand?s spinnaker pole broke after a jibe to port.

The crew jettisoned the broken pole overboard, which was retrieved by their tender. They sailed the final part of the run with the tack of the A-sail flying off the bobstay.

The course to the windward mark remains 025 degrees.

THIRD WINDWARD MARK: Alinghi leads by 0:42

Using its high mode, Alinghi sailed away from Team New Zealand on what stands to be the final beat of America?s Cup 2003. The Swiss team added 11 seconds to their lead, looking invincible along the way.

The course axis remains at 025 degrees, making the finish bear 205 degrees. Both boats are flying symmetric spinnakers in the winds topping out at 15 knots. Team New Zealand also has a spare spinnaker pole set, replacing the one they broke on the previous run.

FINISH: Alinghi wins by 0:44

Alinghi Team has won the 31st America's Cup, defeating Team New Zealand by the score of 5-0. They sailed a conservative run to the finish, matching Team New Zealand jibe for jibe and increased their lead by 2 seconds. - Source: www.americascup.yahoo.com

Race 5 Deltas: Start 0:01 (Alinghi), 0:021 (Alinghi), 0:18 (Alinghi), 0:16 (Alinghi), 0:31 (Alinghi), 0:42 (Alinghi), Finish 0:44 (Alinghi)