America's Cup - Team Alinghi And Emirates Team New Zealand Test The Waters Off Marseille

Marseille, France, 31st August, 2004 –The Defender of the America’s Cup, Team Alinghi, and the team it beat in Auckland 18 months ago, Emirates Team New Zealand, sailed together on Tuesday for the first time since the fifth race of the 31st America’s Cup in 2003.

Both teams are tuning up for the Marseille Louis Vuitton Act, the opening races of the 32nd America’s Cup. The two boats lined up alongside each other several times, testing their speed, and honing their crew work in anticipation of racing next week. Neither team appeared to hold any significant advantage.

K-Challenge was also out on the Rade Sud on Tuesday, the crew putting the boat through its paces, and fine-tuning its crew work on numerous manoeuvres, although the French team didn’t appear to line up with the other two boats…this time.

Three other teams, the BMW ORACLE Racing Team, South Africa’s Team Shos holoza, and LE DEFI will join them in racing in the Marseille Louis Vuitton Act, beginning on Sunday, the 5th September.