AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Once a wind began to blow, Oracle Racing was unbeatable.

Oracle beat Stars & Stripe in the first all-American race in the 31st America's Cup on Sunday to remain unbeaten in three challenger series starts.

Steered at times by Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, Oracle handled fluctuating wind conditions and beat Team Dennis Conner by 1 minute, 58 seconds.

The start of racing on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf was delayed more than three hours because the light, shifting breeze was insufficient to power the 80-foot yachts. Racing on two previous days was postponed because of high wind.

After a lengthy wait for the wind to build on two adjacent courses, the race committee set a new course closer to shore to exploit the offshore breeze.

By the time racing began, a shifting breeze was gusting from 15 to 17 knots.

After an intense pre-start battle, Oracle and New York Yacht Club's Stars & Stripes crossed the start line bow to bow at the pin end of the line, just meters apart.

Oracle built a 35-second lead at the top mark. Ellison took the helm from world match-racing champion Peter Holmberg downwind and extended Oracle's lead to 1:08 at the second mark, and Oracle was not challenged the rest of the way.

In other matches, two-time Cup winner Russell Coutts led Alinghi past Francesco de Angelis and Prada by 1:32, dropping the Italian entry to 1-3. Victory Challenge of Sweden also improved to 3-0 Sunday, beating Mascalzone Latino of Italy by 35 seconds.

GBR Challenge of Britain edged Le Defi of France by 3 seconds. OneWorld of Seattle, also 3-0, had a bye Sunday.

The closest match of the day was between the British GBR Challenge and Le Defi of France.

GBR was penalized for being 2 minutes late to the startbox. The gun signaling the pre-start sequence was fired while the British crew was changing sails.

GBR's mainsail flapped uncontrollably throughout the first quarter of the race. Despite the apparent drag, the British crew kept the race close.

Le Defi was penalized twice, and the British yacht sailed past for its first win of the series.

Le Defi is winless in four races.