Emirates Team New Zealand (right) lead ahead of Italy's Luna Rossa Challenge during the fourth flight of the Louis Vuitton Cup final off the coast of Valencia, Spain, yesterday. Emirates Team New Zealand moved within one victory of an America's Cup rematch with Alinghi by beating Luna Rossa to take a 4-0 lead in the Louis Vuitton Cup final. - AP

VALENCIA, Spain (AP):

EMIRATES TEAM New Zealand moved within one victory of an America's Cup rematch with Alinghi by beating Luna Rossa to take a 4-0 lead yesterday in the Louis Vuitton Cup final.

After the two boats started uneventfully with a split, Luna Rossa overtook the Kiwis due to a light but erratic wind on the first upwind lap for the Italians' first lead in the final.

After being crossed by Luna Rossa, Emirates Team New Zealand had a tack to port that pushed it higher up the course and into the lead for good.

Trailing by 19 seconds around the first marker, the Italians needed help from the shifting winds. But the NZL-92 yacht was faster and widened the gap before crossing the finish line ahead by 52 seconds.

The Italians have trailed around every marker in the best-of-nine series. Only one team - BMW Oracle Racing - has managed to win a race after trailing around the first gate in 17 challengers series matches since the start of the semi-finals.

The Kiwis can sweep Luna Rossa - just as they did in the 2000 America's Cup - with a fifth-flight victory today.

Best-of-nine America's Cup

The winner sails against Alinghi in the best-of-nine America's Cup final from June 23.

Both boats circled in the pre-start under lighter wind as Luna Rossa helmsman James Spithill moved for the right after coming in on port. Kiwi helmsman Dean Barker wanted the left and protected it as Spithill jabbed at him before the line.

Both boats crossed at the gun on different sides to which they had entered for the fourth consecutive race, as the Italians took a chance with a split out to the right.

Luna Rossa then rolled over on to starboard tack toward the Kiwis aware that it had to take the first lap to control the race.

It paid off as Luna Rossa surged ahead to a three boat-length lead halfway up the first upwind leg.

But the Kiwis soon took the advantage back, pushing the Italians out beyond the right layline before rounding the first marker in the lead.

The Kiwis led by two boat-lengths as both teams gybed to open the downwind lap, but the NZL-92 yacht's superior speed opened up a 54-second advantage around the second gate as the wind fell away.

The Italians tacked on the downwind lap in an attempt to engage the Kiwis and create an opportunity to get back into the race, but Barker easily covered.

Emirates Team New Zealand was never challenged after rounding the third marker with a lead of 1:18.