Since mid-January Team Shosholoza, South Africa's entry for the America's Cup, is training hard - harder than ever.

"For a small team, we did the right thing with building the boat so early", said strategist Ian Ainslie. "Because we already tried out everything we are now very well organized and so we are in a much better position than other small teams, which are still trying their new boats or new equipment"

The team agrees that the modifications they made are right and they are very happy with where they go.

"Especially the pre-start scenarios have improved a lot and the boat is more balanced, which feels very good", added Ian. Our great advantage now is that Team Shosholoza has such a young crew. Despite the long and hard hours of work, the guys are not as tired out already and there is still a lot of power left".

Strength also comes from five new faces that joined the team.

Richard Kohler, grinder, already did twelve Atlantic crossings, participated in Cowes Week and was also class winner in the 1992 Cape to Rio Race.

Nicholas Fuller, who started his career in 1999 with GP 14 races and among others also participated in the Cape to Rio Yacht Race signed up as grinder too.

Another newcomer since the end of 2006 is Magnus Doole as new mastman from New Zealand. Originally a professional sailmaker, he won various big races like the BMW Round Ireland, the 2002 Coastal Classics and was crew to set the Auckland to Fiji Record in 2005.

The last two new faces are from Italy, Pierluigi Fornelli and Salvatore Pavoni signed up, both as trimmers and already sailed some match races together with the helmsman Paolo Cian.

Fornelli already has some AC experience; he joined Mascalzone-Latino during the last Cup in 2003. His repertoire also displays nine Italian Championships, Mumm 30, Farr 40 races, also winning the St. Moritz Match Race in 2006.

The other Italian, Salvatore Pavoni, sailed a lot of One Design classes and was active in the International Match Race Circuit after sailing IMS, Farr 40 and Mumm 30.

"The combination that we have on the boat now matches well, there is no one shouting as before, for example", Ian Ainslie. "It's a very nice atmosphere, I would call it 'quietly confident".

"But we will be ready as soon as it starts, all happy and looking forward to the upcoming events", he added.