EASY DOES IT: Team NZ in action during their Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger race against Luna Rossa.

Team New Zealand sent a powerful message to their America's Cup rivals with a crushing match-racing win over Italy's Luna Rossa in San Francisco today.

Team New Zealand led from start to finish, extending their lead every leg to cruise to a 5min 23sec win over the 15.47-nautical-mile course.

After all the protests and boycotts over the opening week of this 34th edition of the famous regatta, this was the first two-boat race.

And it was the first indication of the true speed and efficiency of Team New Zealand who had been acknowledged as the pace-setters in this new hi-tech game being sailed in the massive catamarans.

Luna Rossa failed to get within the five-minute margin set down under the rules, effectively making this a non-contest, such was the Kiwi domination.

New Zealand recorded a top speed of 42.33 knots, compared to Luna Rossa's 39.95 knots.

"It was good to have two boats out there on the racecourse," skipper Dean Barker said.

"It can only make you better because you put yourself in different positions; you get to find out what's going on around the start line and the first reach. That's all paramount to how the race plays out."

Luna Rossa conceded they lost by more than expected, but felt things were "fixable".

"We ended up almost where we thought we'd be, probably a little bit worse off," Luna Rossa helmsman Chris Draper said.

"I think the majority of the losses were in boat handling and a little bit in upwind boat speed. But it's all fixable and we knew that was there, so no massive surprise."

Dean Barker's aggressive pre-start paid off as he got underneath the Italians and left them nowhere to go.

Both boats were well off the start line when the gun went but the Kiwis were in control and immediately sprinted four boat-lengths clear.

It was an advantage they never relinquished in the winds of around 15 knots.

Team New Zealand sailed much better lines and looked more efficient on their foils and through their turns.

The New Zealand efficiency will have been closely monitored by America's Cup holders Oracle who don't defend the Auld Mug till early September.

On today's display it would be hard to see anyone but Team New Zealand getting through this Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series.

There will be improvements from Luna Rossa, but the Kiwis will back themselves to get more out of their boat under racing conditions as well.

Luna Rossa, sailing a first generation team New Zealand design under their information-sharing agreement, are clearly off the pace right now in a major way.

And the third challenger, Artemis Racing, are still a couple of weeks away from getting their second boat into the water.



Today's Crews:



Team NZ - helm: Dean Barker; tactician: Ray Davies; wing trimmer: Glenn Aashby; grinders: Chris Ward, Rob Waddell, Derek Saward, Grant Dalton, Chris McAsey; trimmer: James Dagg; pit: Jeremy Lomas; bow: Adam Beashel



Luna Rossa - helm: Chris Draper; tactician: Francesco Bruni; wing trimmer: Xabi Fernandez; grinders: David carr, Simone de Mari, Giles Cott, Lele Marino, Marco Montis; trimmer: Periluigi de Felice; pit/skipper: Max Sirena; bow: Nick Hutton