Photos: Best of the America's CupKEY POINTS:
Whatever happens in the last reaches of the 32nd America's Cup, one thing is certain - win or lose, it's a good time to be a sailor.
Crew members from all syndicates face an uncertain future, in theory, at the end of this regatta, which most people now
expect Alinghi to win.
But with Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth said to be re-establishing bases in New Zealand, the likelihood is that Kiwi crew members will be a valuable commodity in the post-regatta merry-go-round as syndicates go shopping.
Quality crew members are likely to fetch high prices as the jostling for positions begins for the next America's Cup - in the accelerated cycle that will see the 33rd American Cup fought out in 2009.
No one yet knows which crew members will go where, with the highly likely exception that backup helmsman Ben Ainslie will defect to the British Origin challenge.
However, the key to the merry-go-round will be Coutts and Butterworth. Their alliances for 2009 could spark off a trading cycle, beginning not long after the current regatta ends.
Butterworth's contract with Alinghi is up after this regatta and most who know him say that he may not even know what he is going to do at this stage.
His building a house on Waiheke Island suggests that living in New Zealand is firmly on the agenda, but Alinghi syndicate head Ernesto Bertarelli will be keen to keep Butterworth if Alinghi retain the cup.
Two years is not long to prepare and, if there are design changes, Bertarelli will be keen to keep the continuity of his crew.
However, some rumours have been leaking out of the Alinghi camp suggesting that Butterworth has had some differences of opinion with Bertarelli's offsiders and with America's Cup Management, the company Bertarelli set up to run the cup.
The suggestion is that, even though he would be leaving behind a prime seat in the defenders' camp, Butterworth (like Coutts) may have had enough of living overseas and of the Bertarelli camp.
The obvious road is for him to join Coutts - said to be deciding whether to take advantage of a big offer from BMW Oracle for 2009 - and re-kindle their successful partnership.
There are two strong possibilities: that he will put himself in a fine bargaining position with Alinghi, after a contract said to be worth $5 million for the last two Alinghi campaigns, or that if Coutts and/or Butterworth defect to Oracle, they will bring with them more Kiwis.
On Alinghi's books at the moment are Kiwis such as pitmen Rod Arden and Dean Phipps, trimmer Simon Daubney, navigator Mike Drummond, tactician Peter Evans, grinder Craig Satterthwaite, mainsail trimmer Warwick Fleury and afterguard member Murray Jones.
If all or some of those were also to go with Coutts and Butterworth - or even Coutts alone - a large hole would appear in Alinghi's crew list and quality.
It is also too early to tell what that might mean for Team New Zealand crew but the price and demand for Kiwi sailors will likely go up as syndicates re-arrange their structures and their staffing.
There have even been some rumours suggesting that Bertarelli - if he successfully challenges and defends the cup - may then look to exit the cup game, possibly even making America's Cup history by selling off Alinghi.
However, that seems fanciful and most are expecting Bertarelli, if Alinghi win this week, to announce his involvement again.
