Sailing: Beadsworth's debut at the helm cut short

After putting on the kit, going through the dressing room build-up and then running out on to the pitch, there was nothing but frustration at the America's Cup yesterday for Andy Beadsworth. The starting helmsman was all ready for his first race after replacing the deposed Andy Green on GBR Challenge, but the wind was again so light that the eight yachts due to compete were sent home to try again today.

Beadsworth will be hoping that will happen sooner rather later. "He will be glad of the opportunity of taking a full role in the regatta, as he always thought he would," said his skipper, Ian Walker. He confirmed that a senior group had considered the change and that the sailing team had been consulted. A spokesperson for the team said: "Andy Green is a very valued member of the team but our last few race starts have been disappointing and the team thought it was time to make a change."

But Walker added: "I think you will be seeing Andy Green again. He has been doing a great job. He will now helm the tune-up boat." Although it is expected that Beadsworth would want at least the remaining four races of this round robin in order to establish himself, Walker insisted that the team was picked one day at a time, though just before the start of last week's first race he, and the head of the syndicate, Peter Harrison, had said that the key team at the back of the boat would be together for the whole of the first round robin.

Walker remains confident that Britain, winner of one race in four outings, will look good at the end of the opening eight. "There is a lot of golf left in this hole yet," he said. A win against their next opponents, Italy's Prada, would be a major boost and, in the light conditions, anything can happen if a race is possible.

There is only a 50-50 chance of that, which will put the organisation of the opening round robin of the Louis Vuitton Cup under extra pressure. The contingency solution is to run two races tomorrow over shortened courses, not least because anything up to gales are forecast for the weekend.

Under the strict rules of the competition, all racing in round robin one has to stop, whether the schedule has been completed or not, on Monday evening. There are then seven days off, when round robin two is due to begin. This gives crews a time to rest and shore teams time to modify the boats. Any outstanding races from round one would be staged first, but the teams would be allowed to use their round two boats.

LOUIS VUITTON CUP: Round robin one standings: Alinghi (P5, W4); OneWorld (P4, W4); Oracle (P3, W3); Victory (P4, W3); Prada (P5, W2); Star & Stripes (P5, W2); GBR Challenge (P4, W1); Le Defi (P4, W0); Mascalzone Latino (P4, W0).

OneWorld penalised 1pt for rules infringment