Walker protests against round-the-island race

GBR Challenge finished 7min 45sec behind the Swiss yacht Alinghi in the Louis Vuitton Cup here yesterday, but the British skipper Ian Walker has queried the validity of the race, held outside the normal America's Cup course area.

A 20ft-high island was on the line from the first mark to the second. "It would be the only time that an island has been sailed around in the America's Cup since the original race in 1851," said Walker. "Clearly a lot of errors were made [by the race committee] today." His request for redress will be heard today.

In the only other race completed, out of eight, because of fickle breezes, Mascalzone ruined their chance of only a second win when they botched their final gybe against Prada, allowing their fellow Italians to slide past and maintain third place in the standings.

With the second round robin due to finish on Monday, plans are being laid to alter the programme so that the eight remaining teams have a week in which to make alterations before the quarter-finals.