Over the past few weeks, nine of the 12 Cup teams have been sailing in Valencia, up to six days a week in some cases. The three exceptions have been China Team, Emirates Team New Zealand, and 39 Challenge. But that doesn’t mean these three have been idle.

Crew members from Emirates Team New Zealand have been tearing up the TP 52 circuit, with Kiwi team members spread across several boats, and competing against dozens of other Cup sailors. The Kiwis have also shipped NZL 84 to Auckland, where they’ll begin sailing shortly and their second new boat (NZL 92) arrived at the base just this week.

Meanwhile, 39 Challenge sailors have been busy in several Olympic classes, with Rafael Trujillo claiming sixth place in the Finn European Championships. The skipper of the Italian team, Iain Percy, is sailing in the Star Class World Championship this week in San Francisco. At the Port America’s Cup, the shore crew has been putting the finishing touches on the brand new ITA 85, which the team plans to sail for the first time this month.

In September, China Team held a ‘Sailing Camp’ in Qingdao, China. In addition to announcing a new partner, China Team worked hard in Qingdao to promote the America’s Cup and explain the intricacies of match racing to its home town. The Chinese are also in the process of constructing the first ever America’s Cup Class boat to be built in China and expect to be sailing it early in the new year.

So with winter approaching, the Cup teams are keeping one eye on the weather and one eye on the clock. It’s not hard to do, for although they’ve left their home in the Port America’s Cup for Auckland, Emirates Team New Zealand has helpfully left an enormous ticking countdown clock on the front of their base?a constant reminder of a dwindling resource. Team Alinghi is heading off to Dubai. See previous news story here.