KEY POINTS:
Four years ago they were the first team bundled out of the challenger series.
Tonight in Valencia Italy's Mascalzone Latino hope to become the first team to chalk up a win when they line up against Team New Zealand in the first race of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
Twelve months ago it was unthinkable that the Italians would come within a country mile of the slick New Zealand syndicate.
They had staff issues and their first new boat, ITA90, was virtually a write-off due to structural problems.
But along came ITA99, a sturdy, slab-sided red number similar in hull shape to Alinghi. Raced for the first time in last week's fleet racing regatta, ITA99 sliced though the field to finish third behind Alinghi and Emirates Team New Zealand.
At the back of the boat, Mascalzone seem comfortable. Dane Jes Gram Hansen steers at the pre-start then hands over to Flavio Flavini. Round the course they are fairly good.
Flavini said his team were relaxed about taking on the top-ranked challenger in their first race.
"You have to beat all the competitors so sooner or later we have to race against these guys."
Team New Zealand's sailing and operations manager, Kevin Shoebridge, said his team had raced Mascalzone Latino a couple of times in warm-up races where "they have definitely shown potential".
With the first round being sailed on slightly shorter courses to fit in two races a day, coming back from behind is going to be tricky.
For Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker the Italians' tactic of changing helmsman has been carefully considered.
Barker said his team had worked hard to analyse the various styles of all their rival helmsmen. "As the rounds progress you get more and more information and you deal with it.
"You compile a bit more information and look at the strengths of their boats in certain scenarios: how manoeuvrable they are, how aggressive they are at the start line, what their trends are, whether they like to start to the left or to the right. There are a whole lot of things that build up in the database as racing goes on.
"We are pretty clear in the way we will race them [Mascalzone Latino] versus the way we will race Shosholoza or Victory or Luna Rossa."
The race marks the debut of Team New Zealand's second boat, NZL92. Prime Minister Helen Clark will be on board as 18th person.
"The added pressure of the Prime Minister on the boat is actually an important part of our ability to be here in the first place," said Barker.
"If it wasn't for the New Zealand Government putting its hand up straight after the last defence in Auckland we wouldn't be here."
