AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- America's Cup racing was postponed Thursday for the second consecutive day because of strong winds in the Hauraki Gulf.

With winds gusting at almost 30 knots, officials called off the challenger racing more than four hours before the scheduled start of competition in the Louis Vuitton Cup. Higher winds and rough seas were forecast later in the day.

On Wednesday, eight yachts made it to the race course, a 50-minute tow from Auckland, before racing was abandoned because of winds measuring up to 32 knots. The yachts did not leave their docks Thursday.

The race committee will make a third attempt Friday to sail the races: OneWorld Challenge of Seattle vs. Alinghi of Switzerland; Stars and Stripes of New York vs. Louis Vuitton Cup defender Prada of Italy; Oracle of San Francisco vs. Mascalzone Latino of Italy; Victory Challenge of Sweden vs. Le Defi of France.

The Swedes have been particularly affected by the delays. They had a bye in the first matches Tuesday and will now have to wait more than three days to make their Cup debut.

Larry Ellison is backing and sailing with San Francisco's Oracle BMW Challenge. His Oracle Corp. is a computer software giant, but Ellison says his wealth doesn't give him rank aboard USA-76 as he chases yachting's most prestigious trophy. He insists he has no more power on the water than any other senior crew member.

''The person who knows the most about sailing, the person who can best assess the tactical situation, the person who knows best how to modify the jib and make it better than it currently is, the person who has the most expertise is the person who gets his or her way on this team,'' he said.

Ellison said world match racing champion Peter Holmberg, the Oracle skipper, New Zealand tactician John Cutler and Italian strategist Tomasso Chieffi were the true power behind his team.

He said he had committed his money and his time to an America's Cup campaign to test his own limits and ability.

''We do these things because we're curious about ourselves and curious about our limits,'' he said.