KEY POINTS:
The 12-syndicate heads navigated their way around questions regarding the future of the America's Cup when quizzed here yesterday.
In a team owners' press conference - which featured Alinghi boss Ernesto Bertarelli, Oracle's Larry Ellison, Prada's Patrizio Bertelli and Mascalzone Latino's Italian shipping magnate head Vincenzo Onorato -
the participants were reluctant to give an insight into what they might do should they win the trophy in July.
The winners, provided they have a challenger of record, can decide the timing of the event, its location and the type of boats used. Although this cup has yet to be sailed, debate has already begun on whether the boats should be changed, if the regatta should be held every two years - and whether the pre-regattas should continue or become part of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
"Let's enjoy what we've been able to put together this time around," said Bertarelli. "Because I think we've managed to hit on every single element that has made and will make this edition fantastic. Whoever wins the next time will have this wonderful problem."
As part of their preparations for defending the cup, Bertarelli said Alinghi had looked back to last time, in Auckland, and had been surprised at how much the standard of sailing had improved.
"It was a bit like looking at a 1970s football match, where you get the impression that everybody is walking rather than running," he said.
"When you look at the 2003 sailing footage, you will realise just how much the game has improved," he said, noting that mark roundings and tacking were particularly revealing.
Ellison was asked about the pre-regattas and whether he thought they had given a bigger advantage to the defenders or the challengers.
"We are all sailing a lot more than we used to, so I think we all benefit," Ellison said. As a result, he believed the racing would be much closer than in Auckland.
He said he was planning to sail on the boat every day. When asked if he was planning to steer, the quick-witted American replied "maybe between races while everybody is having their lunch. Chris Dickson is driving the boat".
The head of the Luna Rossa syndicate, Bertelli, voiced some concerns about the pre-regattas.
"I believe instead that the round-robin series as it is structured now is wrong - there are too few of them.
"It would have been better to have an additional round-robin and instead cancel the last act, which served no purpose."
Representing Emirates Team New Zealand was trustee Jim Farmer, who quipped that he was the poorest man on stage.
"We are a small country of less than 5 million people but, in a number of sports, we do punch above our weight," Farmer said.
"I think New Zealand was quite disappointed in losing the cup last time but we were probably more disappointed in the way we lost it.
"So we are very proud of the fact that we are now back at the highest level whether we win or not. The whole country is taking great pride in our being back up near the top."