Team New Zealand's finished the LV Act 13 as top challenger, ahead of big rivals BMW Oracle and Luna Rossa.

Emirates Team New Zealand finished with 64 points, taking the maximum four bonus points into the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series which starts on 16th April.

"We finished on top of the challengers' leader board for Act 13 and top challenger over the past three years," said Managing Director Grant Dalton. "The aims at the start of the regatta were to get the four bonus points and to rotate crew positions so that everyone in the sailing team is match ready for 16th April.

"We have had a great result and this gives us encouragement for the racing ahead", he added.

Didn't really stand out in any one race and yet once again ended up as the top challenger. A modest and discrete way to win another series.

NZL 84 looked good in a straight line once she was up at speed, but was slow to accelerate seemed to suffer in a seaway.

Her crew seem solid both in their boat handling and in the afterguard despite skipper Dean Barker didn't sail in the races, handing the wheel to understudy Ben Ainslie, who helmed NZL 84, their first new boat, to second place.

It's now quite certain that Team NZ will be one of the four semi-finalists and the key question is now to know the name of the three others.

BMW Oracle Racing started Act 13 strongly, but had some poor results in the middle of the regatta, from which it couldn't recover. Nevertheless, the Larry Ellison's Team is still one of the big favourites.

"It's difficult to think there wasn't more performance to come", said Yachting World's Matthew Sheahan about BMW Oracle Racing. "Both boats are widely admired by designers and sailors and with such considerable resource and depth of talent they still remain as one of the super powers".

Like the Kiwis, the Luna Rossa Challenge didn't really shine in the Act and yet their results confirmed that they were firmly placed in the big four. Being beaten by another Italian team Mascalzone Latino in the Act will have dented their pride but little more.

When it comes to their boats, few seem sure why the team have gone for two very different styles and remain less than convinced that such an extreme hull shape is the right way to go.

"I am not worried about the result in Act 13," said helmsman James Spithill. "I'm sure when the game gets harder we will be ready for the match racing next week."

In fact, most of the America's Cup commentators are betting on Mascalzone Latino or Desafío Español for the fourth place.

Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team made a strong impression in LV Act 13, finishing in third spot, just one point behind the Kiwis. Importantly, they were the best of the three Italian teams in the opening regatta of 2007.

"A solid yet conservative performance on the race track and a boat that looks both powerful and forgiving in difficult conditions, of those looking to make it through to the semi finals", commented Matthew Sheahan. "The Latin rascals are a very different team to last season.

"We sailed really well. Now we have to be careful to keep the level up," said skipper Vasco Vascotto. "I think its going to be a hard America's Cup but our guys are well prepared. The stress will disappear and we will start to enjoy it."

"Mascalzone's boat looks good", said Peter Lester. "The Spanish team Desafio Espanol also look good but they kept fouling out and making errors".

Desafío Español 2007 rose to the occasion by winning a race on the final Saturday, pleasing the large crowds in Port America's Cup.

"We are very happy with our performance. Our boat speed and crew work are fine," said helmsman Karol Jablonski. "It is about learning about the boat and the crew for the Louis Vuitton Cup which is most important for us."

The pre-regattas are over and it's time for the real thing.