The 12 teams of the 32nd America’s Cup are preparing for the last Louis Vuitton Act of the season, a three day affair that will determine the 2005 Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Class Season Championship.

The Defender of the America’s Cup, Alinghi, currently has a stranglehold on the points table for the season championship, leading Emirates Team New Zealand by 8 points and Luna Rossa and BMW Oracle Racing by 9 points.

But there are close contests up and down the points table, and a good finish here could move a team well up the championship table.

"We want to win and finish the year on a good note," said Brad Butterworth, the tactician on Alinghi, as he looked forward to the final races of the season. "I enjoy the fleet racing; I think it’s a great add-on. It’s not easy to lead around the mark in this fleet. I love it."

The fleet racing regatta is a change of pace from the match racing Act which concluded earlier this week. With five races over three days, the winner of the fleet racing event will be the team which consistently produces good results in each race.

There is no need to win all of the races, but to finish near the top of the fleet in each contest. In the two previous fleet racing events, both Luna Rossa (in Valencia) and Alinghi (in Malmö) won the regatta with just one race win. It’s been a race to get ready for the fleet racing for Team Shosholoza, which touched the bottom on the tow in from the race course on Tuesday.

"All’s gone according to plan and we’re ready to race," said Tim Kröger, one of the most experienced sailors on the team. "There was no structural damage, just a lot of scratches on the bulb. We’ve changed some keel bolts to be extra safe, but we’re ready to go and looking forward to racing."