Sailing: Reality kicks in as GBR see stars

A subdued Adrian Stead yesterday admitted that GBR Challenge face a tough struggle in their Louis Vuitton Cup quarter-final after they came down from the high of an opening win against Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes and were powerless to stop the Americans making it 1-1 in the second race of the best-of-seven series.

The GBR Challenge tactician knows there are few untried shots left in the team's locker in terms of hardware, so it is now down to the crew to find ways of outsmarting one of the craggiest outfits in the competition if they are to make the repêchage, and a chance of place in the semi-final, at the end of the month.

Stead was ready to acknowledge that Stars & Stripes had "played the game well today. They hammered home the small advantage they had".

He rejected the notion that the boat, Wight Lightning, has a fatal speed disadvantage. "I certainly don't think we are up against a team that is a country mile ahead," he said. "The game is not slipping away from us, not in the slightest. Neither boat has a decisive speed edge and, from where we are, we are more than happy to go and take it to them tomorrow."

However, it is clear that there is now huge pressure on the helmsman Andy Beadsworth to manoeuvre the 80-foot yacht into a controlling position at the start, while GBR Challenge must play it tight throughout, never giving the American skipper, Kenny Read, who has been having confidence crises of his own, the chance to take control.

In the other ties, Oracle BMW, not for the first time, broke its spinnaker pole but used a wraparound splint to hold off OneWorld and claim their second win. This is the ninth straight victory the boat has recorded since Chris Dickson was installed as skipper.

In a southerly breeze swinging through 40 degrees on the second course, the Swedes on Victory Challenge just sailed round and away from Le Defi Areva of France, now prime candidates to throw the first farewell party.

The favourites, Alinghi of Switzerland, find themselves in a difficult scrap, though. They were pushed all the way by Prada and at eight seconds the margin of victory for Alinghi was not comfortable.