SAILING / AMERICA'S CUP: Larry Ellison's Oracle BMW Racing crushed US rivals OneWorld by more than four minutes yesterday to take an early advantage in their America's Cup challengers semi-finals repechage.

OneWorld started the repechage on minus one after they were penalised a point for having design secrets from other teams. Oracle now have a two-point break after they beat OneWorld by four minutes and eight seconds in the first race of the best-of-seven race series.

The winners of the repechage will sail leading contenders Alinghi of Switzerland in the challengers final next month.

OneWorld started just ahead of Oracle in light winds in the Hauraki Gulf, off Auckland in New Zealand. But Oracle skipper Chris Dickson steered the boat into a 42-second lead by the first mark in the six-leg race.

OneWorld clawed their way back and were behind by only 10 seconds as the boats rounded the final mark for the run to the finish.

But OneWorld's race fell apart on the final leg as the two boats chose different parts of the course.

Oracle stayed near the centre of the course as OneWorld gybed away in search of stronger wind. The opposite proved the case and Oracle led by more than 200 metres halfway down the final leg.

Oracle were sailing about two knots faster than OneWorld near the end and crossed the finish line about 600 metres ahead.