Valencia's fickle winds fooled even the weather experts of the racing syndicates looking to get a start to the 33rd America's Cup match on Monday (local time).
Alinghi 5 navigator Juan Vila said: "It was very light. We had some puffs up to six knots but they didn't last long.
"The direction also was random, mostly from the west but not enough for a fair race. The forecast didn't look promising once the wind got variable, so I think it was a good decision not to race today," he said.
Vila added that Alinghi staff knew the conditions would be like those experienced.
"We can't count on every day being perfect to have a race. Today, unfortunately, wasn't, but I'm pretty sure we'll find another day to have a fair race. It's important that when the starting gun goes off it's a fair race for everyone," he said.
Alinghi's weather team predicated 10-knot winds but a passing cold front disrupted the forecast.
The team's meteorologist, Jack Katzfey said: "The mountains in Valencia disrupted the winds and killed any chance of a flow developing. It was supposed to get lighter, but it got a lot lighter."
BMW Oracle meteorologist Chris Bedford said a southery breeze, well offshore, was occasionally filtering into the start area but closer to the short there was a westerly breeze for most of the afternoon.
"At times it was showing up to 14 knots at the top mark.
"So there was pressure [wind] trying to make it onto the course, but because of these two winds converging, we never had enough breeze over a 20-mile leg to get going. I think the race committee did a good job today," he said.
Strong winds forecast for Tuesday were expected into the early hours of Wednesday morning – the next racing day.
"On Wednesday, I'm looking for quite a bit more seaway; we'll probably be getting some kind of a swell down from the north-east, along the coast. We'll likely be in a waning north-westerly that may turn into some kind of a breeze in the afternoon, if we're lucky. That's what we're keeping our fingers crossed for," he said.