How to Be an America's Cup Racer for a Day

"We have a pretty full practice schedule down here. Everything we do is geared to keeping us focused on winning," says Tucker Thompson, who runs the cockpit for America True.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sailing Gloves
• Deck Shoes
• Sunglasses
• Alarm Clocks
• Sunscreen
• Foul Weather Gear
• Stopwatches

1. Wake up at 5:40 a.m. Maybe take a shower; if not, throw on a baseball hat.

2. Get in the gym for weight training from 6 to 7 a.m. Do too many sit-ups.

3. Eat breakfast from 7 to 8 a.m. at the base or at the Empire Cafe. Chat with the team about last night's exploits and the day ahead.

4. Ready the boat for sailing. Carry sails to the tenders and shove off the dock by 9:30 a.m.

5. Arrive at the sailing area in the Hauraki Gulf at 11 a.m. Wake up from nap taken on the foredeck.

6. Perform two-boat testing for five hours, or warm up for the day's Louis Vuitton Cup race. Heavy-duty practice time for sail checks and crew training.

7. Arrive back at the dock by 5 p.m. Haul the boat, accomplish the work list and repairs.

8. Attend the team meeting around 6 to 6:30 p.m. Take a sneak peak of AmericaOne as they tow past the syndicate base.

9. Head to the Empire for a Speight's Ale or Mac's Gold Lager. Laugh about teammate who fell off the dock.

10. Dine on fish and chips (fosh and chops, as the Kiwis say) for dinner.

11. Go home and crash hard.

12. Repeat the process ad nauseam.

Tips & Warnings

• Take the training seriously and you stand a better chance of making it through the day or week without reaching total exhaustion. Keeping up with this schedule requires physical and emotional stamina.

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