| | AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Japan's Nippon Challenge team broke ranks Wednesday with the other America's Cup challengers by sailing against Cup defenders Team New Zealand during a training session.
The eleven challengers from seven nations had made an informal, unwritten agreement not to sail against Team New Zealand before the actual start of Cup races on Feb. 19.
But Nippon Challenge, one of six teams that will contest the
Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals starting on Jan. 2, spent Wednesday
afternoon training with the defenders.
"It was good for us to go out and sail against the best, we
learned a lot," said Peter Gilmour, skipper of the Nippon team.
Gilmour said Team New Zealand looked well prepared.
"They are definitely in a very high state of readiness,"
he said, "They are ready to sail in the America's Cup now, and
they will be a very tough defender."
He called Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts a great
competitor.
"Russell has lost none of his cut and thrust, or his poise,
I haven't sailed against him since July, and he is still a great
competitor."
The Louis Vuitton Cup, which started in October, is the series to select a challenger to face Team New Zealand in the America's Cup. Five teams have already been eliminated.
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