The 32nd America’s Cup arrived in Malmö in earnest over the weekend when the M/V Schippersgracht pulled alongside the dock with its cargo of America’s Cup boats and equipment in preparation for next week’s Louis Vuitton Acts 6 and 7.

The unloading of the 2,000 tonnes of cargo which included 86 RIBs and support boats, 70 shipping containers, 13 ACC boats (11 team boats, plus 2 hospitality and display boats), and over 20 masts, began on Sunday.

The 13 America’s Cup Class boats were lifted off one by one directly into the water on Monday morning before being towed to their new homes at the team base compound.

The teams are operating on a tight schedule to get their boats prepared and on the water as quickly as possible. Some of the bigger teams could be sailing as early as Thursday afternoon, with the others likely to be ready for training by the weekend.

Racing in the Malmö-Skåne Louis Vuitton Acts 6 and 7 begins on 25 August with the match races of Act 6, followed by a three-day fleet racing series (Act 7) starting on 2 September. The 2005 racing season for the 32nd America’s Cup concludes in Trapani, Sicily at the end of September.