It's down to the weakest links

By JULIE ASH

The second Italian challenge, Mascalzone Latino, was the first casualty of the America's Cup, eliminated after the double round-robin competition.

But after the quarter-finals the America's Cup dream of a further two challengers will be over.

Nine teams initially started out in Louis Vuitton Cup racing on October 1.

The remaining eight syndicates are now split into the top four and bottom four.

Alinghi, Oracle BMW Racing, OneWorld Challenge and Prada secured the top four spots.

Victory Challenge, GBR Challenge, Team Dennis Conner and Le Defi Areva make up the bottom four.

Finishing at the top of the table, Alinghi won the right to choose which of the other top four teams they would race for a semifinal spot. Alinghi chose the Italians Prada, leaving an all-American clash between OneWorld and Oracle.

Because Victory Challenge finished fifth, they also got to choose their opponent from among the second-tier quarter-finalists.

They opted for the French syndicate Le Defi Areva, meaning GBR Challenge and Team Dennis Conner will square off.

The difference between the top and bottom four is that the top four have two lives, the bottom four just one.

Stumble in the quarters and you're packing up.

The two winning teams in the top four advance straight to the semifinals, the losing teams in the top four race the winning teams from the bottom four in a repechage.

The top-ranked team among those four get to choose their preferred opponents in the repechage. That ranking is taken from the round robin results.

The quarter-finals, which start on Tuesday, are on a best-of-seven basis.

The format benefits the stronger teams as it allows them to sail less races, which in turn means less wear and tear on equipment, and in particular sails.

Say, for example, Alinghi beat Prada in the quarter-finals and force them into the repechage.

Potentially, Prada then face a further seven races in the repechage just to get into the semifinals. Alinghi get time off and are free to work on their own development while they wait for the other semifinalists to be found.

In the 1999-2000 challenger series there were three round robins before the top six squared off in the semifinals.

Prada skipper Francesco de Angelis says this format works better for the challengers.

"I think we had done something like 45 matches and then there were only a few days before the America's Cup match," he says, referring to the last campaign.

"When the Louis Vuitton races took a lot of effort, it was hard to peak again for the cup match.

"It worked for the defender, not the challenger. This time it is better for the stronger teams."

Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts says now the competition is at the quarter-finals stage the racing will be more focused.

"Now we are coming to the finals the teams are going to be evenly matched and the racing is going to be intense.

"If you are in the bottom four and you lose you are going to be eliminated. It is going to be tough for everyone."

The harsh reality is it's do or die for the Swedes, the British, Conner's Americans and the French.

Lose and they are on their way home by the end of the month.

At the other end of the table, the pressure is on for Alinghi, Prada, Oracle and OneWorld.

Because there can only be two winners, two of the big guns are going to have to go through the gruelling repechage, something all will be desperate to avoid.

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