The final competition of the 2006 America’s Cup season began with two full flights of racing in Valencia.

Louis Vuitton Act 12 is a match racing regatta, complete with round robin, semi finals and final. In this sense, it mimics the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger selection series, which will identify the ultimate challenger to face Alinghi in the 32nd America’s Cup Match.

It was a tense day on the water for the Spanish team who are alone among the 12 competitors in racing a new boat, ESP 88. Desafío Español earned two wins from two starts, but was behind in the second race until the Umpires assessed three penalties to Areva Challenge for a flagrant foul.

America's Cup defending champion Alinghi won both legs on the first day of Act 12 of the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger trials Thursday.

Four other boats – BMW Oracle Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand, Luna Rossa and Desafio Espanol – also won both legs of their races to tie Alinghi with two points.

Spain unveiled a new boat, Desafio Espanol, which won its first leg by just 19 seconds against South Africa's Shosholoza. But it then crossed the line 1 minute, 30 seconds ahead of France's Areva Challenge.

Two boats – Italy's Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team and Victory Challenge of Sweden – share second place in the standings on one point.

+39 Challenge, Shosholoza, Areva Challenge, United Internet Team Germany and China Team have no points.

Flight 1 - Results

Team NZ def. China Team (1:12)
+39 Challenge lost to Victory (1:11)
Mascalzone lost to Luna Rossa (01:11)
Alinghi def. Areva (1:08)
Team Germany lost to BMW Oracle (1:07)
Shosholoza lost to Desafío Español (1:09)

Flight 2 - Results

+39 Challenge lost to Team NZ (01:09)
Luna Rossa def. China Team (01:09)
Victory Challenge lost to Mascalzone (1:08)
Alinghi def. Team Germany (1:09)
BMW Oracle def. Shosholoza (1:09)
Areva Challenge lost to Desafío Español (1:10)