America's Cup: Big in Japan: Sir Ainslie wants to win

No less than two bonus points for the America's Cup challenge round are at stake. When the six Cup teams meet for the ninth and final time this weekend in Fukuoka, Japan, as part of the America's Cup World Series, there will be plenty of prestige at stake as well as significant points advantages in the battle for a place in the 35th duel for the most important trophy in international sailing.

The British team Land Rover BAR leads the overall standings of the World Series ahead of the final regatta. Lurking behind them in second and third place are the American Cup defenders, Oracle Team USA and Emirates Team New Zealand, and the two-time Cup winners from New Zealand. Sir Ainslie and his British Cup campaign could underline their co-favourite status for the 35th America's Cup, which will be contested off Bermuda in the summer of 2017, with an overall victory. "We want these two points, but we will approach the races like any other regatta. That's how we've had the best success so far."

Here for the overall standings of the world series before the final in Fukuoka.

The British America's Cup team Land Rover BAR meets some of the country's best sumo wrestlers in Japan. It was a respectful encounter with a cheerful flavour

After 34 races in eight regattas of the World Series so far, the six Cup teams have one last encounter on the water before the 2017 Cup year kicks off and all teams prepare for the Louis Vuitton qualifying round off Bermuda. The two points awarded to the winner of the World Series at the end of the coming weekend will be worth the equivalent of two wins, equal to 20 per cent of the additional points up for grabs in the double round robin round of qualifying, which begins on 26 May 2017, and could play a very important role on the road to the Cup.

Before the official training day on Friday and the three races on Saturday and Sunday, the British front-runners prepared for the showdown in Japanese style. The team visited the training camp of leading Japanese sumo fighters, whose sport has been around for 1222 years. The resulting film sequences are certainly entertaining. The quintessence was summarised by Ainslie's crew mate Nick Hutton: "These guys are unbelievably big. It's unbelievable what kind of athletes they are and how weak we were against them. You're humbled by that." These are the words of someone who, together with his team, is one of the most highly trained athletes in the sailing world currently competing in international regattas. The sumo wrestlers pushed top athletes like Finn dinghy Olympic sailor Giles Scott off the mat like toy figures.