What should also make Cayard happy is that his team is now guaranteed of at least advancing to a sail-off for the two-boat challenger finals.

The challenger finals begin on Jan. 25.

A month later, in October 2008, Iyama reached another challenger finals.

He faced Norimoto Yoda in challenger finals of the 33rd Kisei and lost by resignation.

And now Prada will face America One in the challenger five-of-nine-race finals beginning on Jan. 25.

Prada took a 3-1 lead in the challenger finals, but then lost three consecutive races.

There are three races left in the nine-day series, which will send two boats onto the challenger finals, to begin April 19.

After nine days of competition, the top two boats, determined by the total score, with one point per victory, compete in the challenger finals beginning April 19.

The winner of the repechage will meet Alinghi in the challenger finals beginning Jan. 11.