The Sailing Team now has to shift gears from match racing to fleet racing for the start of Act 5 tomorrow. At a sailing team meeting today Sailing Director John Kostecki (USA), helmsman Gavin Brady (NZL/USA) and Rules Advisor Richard Slater (AUS) reviewed with the guys the changes in strategy, tactics and racing rules for the upcoming five-race series.

One big change in mind-set, and after so many months of match-race training it is easy to forget, is that the marks will be left to port (rounded counter-clockwise) instead of to starboard as they are in match racing.

Tomorrow will be the first time we will see twelve ACC yacts on one starting line. At the 91 Worlds in San Diego we had 9, as best I can recall. PRO Peter Reggio will lengthen the starting line to 450m to accommodate the 12. The leg length will be increased to 3.0 nautical miles, and an offset mark will be added after the windward mark. Nonetheless there was concern today at the syndicate-heads press conference about "carnage", especially in the pre-start.

Another historical footnote: Act 5 is the first time since the 1st America's Cup Match in 1870 that fleet racing will count towards who wins the Cup.

Watch for a new piece on our website later today, by Ivor Wilkins, about the differences between match and fleet racing.

Gavin Brady reviewing tactics with the sailing team at today's
pre-regatta meeting.

All eyes glued to the screen for "'pre-game films" -- the
Virtual Eye graphic displays of Act 3 fleet racing in Valencia
last October.