After two frustrating round robins of dealing with unsuitable weather, eight of the nine qualifying challengers spent the past week preparing for the quarterfinals. For the bottom four teams, the stakes are high because the losing two teams will be eliminated while in the top bracket, the winning teams advance directly to the semifinals. The losers from the top bracket race the winners from the bottom bracket in a repechage series Nov. 23-30.

The challengers learned plenty about their boats, equipment and sailors during the long month of racing in October. Every team experienced highs and lows demonstrating once again, that the America's Cup is an emotional roller coaster ride. The big question now is which teams will be able to make major improvements before the quarter finals begin on Nov. 12?

Trials system
The weather in November should be steadier and more reliable. There will be a greater premium on boatspeed if the wind settles down.

Curve balls
All eight of the qualifying teams have a second hull available. The question is whether these second boats are faster. Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes, USA66, struggled with speed. Conner announced Monday that he plans to roll out his newer boat USA77. It is likely that several teams have held back some of their better innovations in sail shapes and rig tuning. We may even see new keels and rudders. Past America's Cup history demonstrates that teams cannot rest on their laurels. They must move forward with advancements.

There were many crew changes in the first two rounds. In most cases the changes improved results. Oracle, GBR and Prada performed better after responsibilities were reassigned in the cockpit.

Learning from slumps
Several teams, Prada, GBR, OneWorld, Oracle and Stars & Stripes suffered losing streaks. When this happens a team becomes humble and takes nothing for granted. But sailors must avoid the trap of worrying about the final outcome. To use an old cliché in every sport, you have to take it one race at a time.

Role of the tactician
These trials are proving to be a thinking sailor's contest. The winds on the Haruaki Gulf are capricious. Luck plays a role but the best teams seem to consistently understand the wind patterns. No team is better than Alinghi whose tactician, Brad Butterworth, grew up sailing on the Haruaki Gulf. When Oracle brought in another Auckland native, Chris Dickson, to run the show, their performance improved dramatically. It is refreshing in this age of highly advanced technology that the best sailors are making the difference.

Skipping a series
The winning crews of the top bracket will automatically advance to the semifinals. It will be interesting to see if the extra training and rest time will prove advantageous. Will teams that race in the repechage series be sharper or exhausted? This is something to watch closely. If the rest and tuning time pays off, it is a good harbinger for the America's Cup itself since there is nearly a month between the end of the challenger trials and the start of the America's Cup finals.

What is team New Zealand learning?
Out of the limelight, Team New Zealand is quietly training and observing the challengers. They are learning that at this point there are no breakthrough designs on the water. The Kiwis have to be heartened that sailing skill is making a difference. Kiwi skipper Dean Barker is at the top of his game. He even defeated Alinghi's Russell Coutts in a match race in Europe last summer. TNZ is also learning that the top teams are being sailed by veterans so there will likely be no new faces to race against beginning Feb. 15.

In 1977, Gary Jobson served as tactician to win the America's Cup for Ted Turner. ESPN's lead sailing analyst, Jobson is writing a weekly column during the Challenger Trials. E-mail him at garyjobson@cs.com or check out his Web site at jobsonsailing.com.