Italy's massive AC75 sail rig was damaged by strong Mediterranean winds Sunday. This gave Britain a 2-1 series lead over America's Cup rival Britain.

When the problem arose, the Italians were forced to drop their mainsail in order to replace it.

The Italians could not do this in time, and because the support crew was on board when the race was scheduled to begin, they were disqualified. This gave Britain a vital point in the Louis Vuitton Cup first-to-7 series.

The winner will face New Zealand, the current holders of the America's Cup trophy dating back to 1851.

The wind speeds were above the limits of the event rules, compared to the light winds on Saturday. Racing had already been delayed several times by officials before it became apparent that the Italians were having difficulties.

The second race, scheduled for Sunday is a race that the Italians are racing against the clock in order to prepare for.

The windy conditions caused another of the large monohull foils to capsize. The Swiss team that was knocked out from the challenger series capsized, and they struggled to get upright.

In a press release, the Swiss claimed that all of their crew members were safe. (Reporting and editing by Ed Osmond; Alexander Smith)

(source: Reuters)