“I am really surprised at how much New Zealand and BMW Oracle have improved from their last boats,” he said. “I just wonder if we're only catching up to the level that they've already left…I think we might be left behind, that's what I'm afraid of.”
--United Internet Team Germany Skipper Jesper Bank (DEN).

“One of the things we did see this week is that all three of the top teams on the challengers’ side have very similar boat speeds. Now it is going to be a fight to see who can squeeze that last little bit out of the equipment and then of course who goes out there and races well. A couple of teams like Shosholoza and Spain are knocking on the door, so there is going to be a big battle on the challengers’ side. On one hand, we like to see this, because it means they’ll be beaten up pretty badly by the time they get to the Cup. But on the other hand they’ll have good racing experience, so we have to make sure we have that ourselves."
--Alinghi Act 10 Helmsman Ed Baird (USA).

“We are learning each time we go on the water. It’s quite hard to understand what’s going on with the wind here. We try to learn with the weather team....This boat is tacking quite well, and I think this boat is quicker in the light and quicker in the heavy. It’s not much, maybe two boatlengths faster in a beat, but it’s quite enough to stay there when you have a bad shift, and make a good gain when you get a good shift.”
--BMW ORACLE Tactician Bertrand Pace (FRA).