Valencia Cup Fleet At Start (Photo by Ignacio Baixauli / RC44 Class)
After wishing for more boatspeed following the match racing portion of the RC 44 Valencia Cup, Anders Myralf of Denmark guided James Spithill and the 17 crew to three first place finishes today to wrest control of the fleet racing portion of the regatta.
The 17 crew won the first, third and fourth races, and placed fourth in Race 2. Their low score, however, is 8 points due to a 1 point penalty imposed by the International Jury.
Second place is held by Chris Bake and Team Aqua, winners of the match racing portion of the week-long event, with 14 points on finishes of 2-3-5-4.
Third place is held by Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis at 20 points (5-7-2-6).
“It’s incredible to come down here from Copenhagen and jump into a boat that is so organized and well sailed,? said Myralf, an amateur sailor who races aboard the Farr 40 Nanooq with the Prince of Denmark. “I’ve never seen such a good crew. I’ve got the easiest job on the boat.?
The southeasterly sea breeze that marked the match racing didn’t materialize today until the fourth race, but it lacked its typical punch. Instead, the fleet sailed in mostly an easterly wind between 8 and 10 knots. Only in Race 4 did it shift to the southeast and increase to 12 knots.
Valencia Cup Fleet (Photo by Ignacio Baixauli / RC44 Class )
The new conditions made consistency hard to achieve. Instead of trusting the right side of the racecourse, some found the left side of the course favorable. Aside from the top two, the rest of the fleet had at least one, if not two finishes out of the top five.
“We were able to stay in the top five, and in this fleet that’s saying something,? said Bake of Team Aqua. “The field was fairly mixed up.?
Another marked difference from the match racing portion are the amateur helmsmen, as required by class rules. In most cases that is the owner driving the light-displacement yacht.
Completing the top five are a pair of Russians: Guennadi Timtchenko and Katusha, placed fourth with 20 points on finishes of 9-1-8-3, followed by Maxim Logutenko aboard BMW ORACLE Racing with Russell Coutts at 22 points (finishes of 10-6-4-2).
For Timtchenko, this is just his third regatta. Ever. He’d never raced before joining the RC 44 Class, but got into it due to Tornqvist, a friend and business associate.
“I raced with Torbjorn aboard one of his boats,? said the 57-year-old Timtchenko. “The RC 44 is the right class for me. It’s an interesting boat, fast and maneuverable. I make a lot of mistakes, but my crew gets me out of trouble.?
Marring an otherwise great day, 17 was penalized 1 point by the jury after a protest from Islas Canarias Puerto Calero and owner Daniel Calero.
At the start of Race 4, Puerto Calero was the windward yacht with 17 overlapped to leeward. Puerto Calero alleged that Spithill, the professional helmsman, took the helm. Class rules state that the professional may take the helm only on safety grounds.
Puerto Calero maintains that Spithill took the helm to help push them over the line early. Puerto Calero was on the course side at the start.
Anders Myralf, of Denmark, and the crew on board 17 (USA) had a great day with three bullets and a fourth. (Photo by Ignacio Baixauli / RC44 Class )
According to International Jury chairman Bill Edgerton, Spithill said in the protest hearing that he had a hand on the wheel, but only to help turn the yacht down to avoid potentially hitting Puerto Calero.
“We didn’t want to have them disqualified, but we wanted to raise the issue that it is against the rules,? said Daniel Calero.
RC 44 VALENCIA CUP
(Fleet racing provisional results)
1. 17 / Anders Myralf (USA) 1-4-1-1, 8 points*
2. Team Aqua / Chris Bake (UAE) 2-3-5-4, 14 points
3. Artemis / Torbjorn Tornqvist (SWE) 5-7-2-6, 20 points
4. Katusha / Guennadi Timtchenko (RUS) 9-1-8-3, 21 points
5. BMW ORACLE Racing / Maxim Logutenko (USA) 10-6-4-2, 22 points
6. No Way Back / Pieter Heerema (NED) 8-2-7-5, 22 points
7. Ceeref / Igor Lah (SLO) 6-11-3-7, 27 points
8. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero / Daniel Calero (ESP) 3-9-9-10, 31 points
9. AEZ RC44 Sailing Team / Rene Mangold (AUT) 4-10-10-8, 32 points
10. Mascalzone Latino Audi Team / Vincenzo Onorato (ITA) 11-5-6-11, 33 points
11. Team Sea Dubai / Harm Mueller-Speer (UAE) 7-8-11-9, 35 points
(* includes 1 point penalty by International Jury)
(Photo by Ignacio Baixauli / RC44 Class )
RC44 Valencia Cup Fleet ( Photo by Per Heegaard / RC44 Class Association )
Small jibs and loose boom vangs were the order of the day as the RC 44 Valencia Cup got underway here in a pumping sea breeze that topped out at 20 knots.
Despite the strong wind off Malvarrosa Beach, the professional crews threw the light-displacement boats around with seeming ease.
In a day that saw seven flights and 28 match races completed, three crews made it through the first five flights undefeated. But only Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis escaped unscathed.
“We started well enough today and the boat was going well through the water,? said Artemis skipper Terry Hutchinson, who finished the day at 6-0. “We had our best day boathandling, and we needed it today.?
Three other teams finished the day with 4-1 records including Russell Coutts and the BMW ORACLE Racing team, Cameron Appleton’s Team Aqua and James Spithill’s 17. Rounding out the top five is Igor Lah’s Ceeref at 3-1 with Rod Davis as skipper.
“We had a good day considering we weren’t able to practice yesterday,? said Davis, who suffered a slight injury when the mainsheet grazed his head. “We went in loose and are quite happy. The boys have been on the boat a long time and that was helpful today.?
The day started mild with an east/southeasterly wind around 12 knots. But with the temperature inland topping out at 90 degrees, it quickly turned wild when the wind shifted to the southeast and built to 16 to 18 knots, with gusts up to 20 knots.
The race committee ordered the small jibs for the fourth flight of races, and VIP spectators were no longer allowed aboard to avoid the risk of injury during transfer from chase boat to race boat.
Corresponding with the increase in wind strength was an increase of incidents. Upwards of eight penalties were issued, three spinnakers ripped, one jib battered and one steering system damaged.
A couple of crews were forced to retire from races due to the damage, but for those who finished you would think the day was a walk in the park.
“This was one of the windiest days we’ve had match racing, but they’re spectacular boats. They come alive downwind,? Hutchinson said.
“My guys did a great job getting me out of trouble today,? said Appleton. “I was the one causing the trouble.?
The match racing portion of the RC 44 Valencia Cup continues tomorrow with another seven flights planned. Thursday is a scheduled practice day for the fleet racing portion of the regatta, which runs Friday through Sunday.
RC 44 VALENCIA CUP
(Match racing, after seven of 14 flights)
1. Artemis / Terry Hutchinson (SWE) 6-0
2. BMW ORACLE Racing / Russell Coutts (USA) 4-1
2. Team Aqua / Cameron Appleton (UAE) 4-1
2. 17 / James Spithill (USA) 4-1
5. Ceeref / Rod Davis (SLO) 3-1
6. No Way Back / Pieter Heerema and Ray Davies (NED) 3-3
7. Team Sea Dubai / Markus Weiser (UAE) 2-4
8. Katusha / Paul Cayard (RUS) 1-3
9. Mascalzone Latino Audi Team / Tommaso Chieffi (ITA) 1-4
10. AEZ RC44 Sailing Team / Christian Binder (AUT) 0-5
10. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero / José Maria Ponce (ESP) 0-5
Fireworks Light Up Port America's Cup As The Festivities Heat Up (Photo by Gareth Evans)
“At the coin toss, SNG/Alinghi were asked to call heads or tails. They thought they had won and asked for the starboard entry into the start box. GGYC/BMW Oracle subsequently won the toss, and spoilt Alinghi’s plans by asking for starboard!” Gareth Reported.
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- Fireworks Light Up Port America’s Cup As The Festivities Heat Up (Photo by Gareth Evans)
Tens of thousands of visitors swarmed the signature Veles e Ventes building and the surrounding area of the America’s Cup Park to enjoy the festivities on an otherwise tranquil Sunday afternoon of mild temperatures.
Race director Harold Bennett (NZL) set the coin spinning in the air, watched by Pierre-Yves Firmench (SUI), commodore of the Société Nautique de Genève, the yacht club of the Defender of the 33rd America’s Cup and Marcus Young (USA), commodore of the Golden Gate Yacht Club of San Francisco.
The American team will therefore take what is commonly held to be the initial advantage, entering with right of way, on starboard tack.
Alinghi At Port America's Cup (Photo by Gareth Evans)
On the water there was scarcely enough wind to create ripples, but in the distance the lack of breeze was scarcely a worry for one of the giant multihulls, which with its towering rig still paced the horizon, making best use of the final hours of practice and tuning before racing is scheduled to begin tomorrow morning around 1000hrs
The opening festival was brought to a noisy crescendo with a barrage of mascleta, firecrackers which increased in size and noise.
Valencia's Mayor Rita Barbera Enjoys The Run Up To The America's Cup At Port America's Cup In Valencia (Photo by Gareth Evans)
Sunday 7th February sees the official opening ceremony of the 33rd America’s Cup, starting at 1300hrs in the heart of Port America’s Cup, by the Veles et Vents building.
The opening ceremony will include the draw for which side the competing yachts have to enter the start area for Race 1, with the time gun scheduled for 1000hrs Monday.
A huge crescendo is promised with a mascletá, a local celebration of firecrackers with the largest reckoned to be 750kilos of gunpowder.
The Cup Arrives In Valencia (Photo by Gareth Evans)
And from 1400hrs the America’s Cup will have the UN GRAIN for Hairt – the cooking of a giant paella with the proceeds all going to relieve suffering in Haiti.
Alinghi and BMW Oracle are set to sail their best-of-three match series from Monday, and the state-of-the-art boats are expected to run three times faster than the wind speed.
The Teams:
BMW ORACLE racing was brought together by the CEO and founder of ORACLE Corporation Larry Ellison in the Spring of 2000. Ellison has a long and distinguished sailing career inshore and offshore and has been a regular member of the sailing crew over the years of America’s Cup racing.
BMW Oracle In Training In Valencia (Photo Courtesy of BMW Oracle Racing)
At the 2003 America’s Cup challenger series in Auckland the team, which were then known as ORACLE BMW racing, reached the finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup but were beaten by Alinghi, who went on to win the America’s Cup.
After being one of the dominant teams through the preceding America’s Cup seasons from 2004-2006, in 2007 in Valencia BMW ORACLE lost out in the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
On the 13th of July 2007, the team presented a formal challenge for the 33rd America’s Cup to the Société Nautique Genève. Just under two weeks later, three times America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts (NZL) was announced as the team’s CEO and skipper.
The team has a strong international flavour and mix of backgrounds from America’s Cup, match racing ocean racing and multihull racing including round the world race winning skipper John Kostecki as tactician, match racer James Spithill as helmsman.
BMW ORACLE sail under the flag of the Golden Gate Yacht Club, San Francisco
Alinghi 5 Docked At Port America's Cup (Photos by Gareth Evans)
Alinghi is the Defender of the 33rd America’s Cup. The team is the culmination of Ernesto Bertarelli’s passion for sailing. The Swiss entrepreneur, former owner of biotech giant Serono and an integral part of the sailing crew, created the team in 2000 to participate in the America’s Cup.
In 2003, Alinghi defeated Oracle BMW Racing to win the Louis Vuitton Cup, and then won the 31st America’s Cup at its first attempt, sweeping Team New Zealand 5-0. With this victory, Alinghi became the first European winning team and brought the America’s Cup to Europe for the first time in 152 years.
The selection of Valencia as the venue for the 32nd America’s Cup and a new competition format, with preliminary Acts across Europe, opened a new era for sailing’s premier competition. The Swiss Defender –through AC Management– implemented its renewed vision for the America’s Cup positioning it at the level of the world’s most popular sports. The outstanding four-year event saw 12 teams from five continents competing for the trophy before 6.4 million spectators, contributed to the transformation of the host city and claimed the attention of over 4 billion television viewers worldwide.
Alinghi succeeded in defending the America’s Cup in Spain in 2007, in what was the closest America’s Cup Match of all time beating Emirates Team New Zealand in the 7th race by just one second. The Swiss team won the Match 5-2.
On the build up to the 33rd America’s Cup Match, the giant catamaran Alinghi 5 was launched on Lake Geneva, in Switzerland, on July 8th 2009. Six months later, the innovative Swiss multihull arrived to Valencia and on January 15th 2010, Alinghi 5 sailed in Valencia for the first time, with Bertarelli at the helm.
Alinghi flies the colors of the Société Nautique de Genève, Switzerland. With over 100 team members from 20 nationalities, it stands for an innovative, professional, multi-cultural and passionate team.
Ernesto Bertarelli Speaking To The Media (Photo by Gareth Evans)
Article and Photos by Challenge and Adventure’s Gareth Evans
The Owners’ Press Conference held this afternoon was very well attended by the press – approximately 150 out of the 600+ accredited media personnel were there. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about the team owners.
Whilst Ernesto Bertarelli arrived for the press conference, Larry Ellison failed to show. The compere explained (in response to a question from the audience), that there had been a misunderstanding within BMW Oracle. The event had been organised for the two Owners to have a head to head interview in front of the World’s press. They were informed that sending a substitute would not be acceptable – they took this to mean that other team members would not be welcome, and refused to attend. Due to the no show by Ellison, Bertarelli had offered the second seat to Brad Butterworth to field some of the questions – he offered to ask Brad to leave the stage if that was what the audience wanted. The response he received was that Brad could stay.
Ernesto Bertarelli and Brad Butterworth (Photo by Gareth Evans)
Some sound bites from Bertarelli:
· The Oracle rig is possibly an advantage.
· His contribution this time was very different. He has been more involved than before. He felt it very important that the owner should be on board steering (possibly a dig at Larry Ellison).
· Loick Peyron is like a very handy Swiss knife – he can do anything.
· There were a number of choices for helm. The boat is a copy of EB’s 1999 boat. He said that he is not the fastest helm in all conditions, but certainly is not the slowest. Loick Peyron is handy in manoeuvres.
· What does EB fear most – the boat or LE’s desperate will to win? “The Boat” (said with a grin).
· “There are two boats that will be on the start line on Monday. Let’s see who wins.”
· Why did the EB/LE friendship fall apart? EB: Today sums it up. I came here to shake his hand. I was determined to have this meeting today, but Larry did not turn up.
· The boats are sailing downwind at 2.5-3 times the wind speed. The reaches are exciting!
· It will be a war of the shore crews to keep the boats sailing at 100%
There is no doubt that Larry Ellison scored an own goal today (to use a soccer term!). EB had the world’s press at this press conference, with nobody there from BMW Oracle to offer their side of the story. And EB is a clever man who knows how to turn the situation to his advantage.
Article and Photos by Gareth Evans
Port America's Cup (Photo by Gareth Evans)
Alinghi At The Dock In Valencia (Photo by Gareth Evans)
Marina Real Juan Carlos (Photo courtesy of America's Cup)
Saturday 6th February the AC Park for the 33rd America’s Cup opens to the public in the Port America’s Cup in Valencia. Between the hours of 1000hrs and 1800hrs visitors will be able to enjoy all of the magnificent facilities and activities which are on offer during the second edition of this historic sporting trophy, the oldest in the world, to be hosted by the Spanish city.
Central to the activities is the landmark Veles e Ventes building. Many of the 33rd America’s Cup activities will take place within this signature building designed by English architect David Chipperfield.
On the main ground floor is the Mar del Bambú restaurant, on the first floor is the main information point, the Estrella Damm Club, a tapas bar, the team bars: Defender Bar and a Challenger Bar and El Corte Inglés shop selling all the official event merchandise.
On the fourth floor is the Quique Dacosta Gastro-Bar. Access to all these areas is free.
Around the exterior of the Veles e Vents you have many options for eating and drinking: the Paella restaurant, the Arribar, Casa Guillermo, the Mist, the 39º27N, the Azul and the Brisa (all found on the map). There is a large chill out area with a giant screen to watch the action live from the race course, as well as a large kindergarden to keep the kids entertained.
As from Saturday 6th February the AC Park for the 33rd America’s Cup opens to the public in the Port America’s Cup in Valencia. Between the hours of 1000hrs and 1800hrs visitors will be able to enjoy all of the magnificent facilities and activities which are on offer during the second edition of this historic sporting trophy, the oldest in the world, to be hosted by the Spanish city.
Central to the activities is the landmark Veles e Ventes building. Many of the 33rd America’s Cup activities will take place within this signature building designed by English architect David Chipperfield.
On the main ground floor is the Mar del Bambú restaurant, on the first floor is the main information point, the Estrella Damm Club, a tapas bar, the team bars: Defender Bar and a Challenger Bar and El Corte Inglés shop selling all the official event merchandise.
On the fourth floor is the Quique Dacosta Gastro-Bar. Access to all these areas is free.
The organization has planned a comprehensive programme including concerts, visits for school pupils, videos as well as the highlights of the racing and highlights of the America’s Cup racing. There are many options to enjoy the action and what is on offer at Port America’s Cup between 6th and 14th February. If racing extends longer then the village will stay open longer.
A normal racing day (as scheduled Monday 8th, Wednesday 10th, Friday 12th) is from 0900hrs to 2000hrs. During the other, non-racing days the Park is open between 1000hrs and 1800hrs.
Traffic Access
Traffic Access will be strictly restricted to accredited vehicles as from Thursday 4th Febraury. The main entrance to the Port America’s Cup from the Avenue del Puerto towards Veles et Ventes will be closed, including access to the Veles et Ventes building car park which will be opened only to accredited vehicles.
The official inauguration of the 33rd America’s Cup will take place on Sunday 7th February at 1300hrs
To see the map of the AC Park, go to http://www.americascup.com/fr/media/gallery_hd/
• Race 1: Upwind-downwind 20 miles per leg
• Race 2: 39 nautical-mile equilateral triangle, first leg
• Race 3 (if necessary): Upwind-downwind 20 miles per leg
Americas Cup 33 Venue Map
Alinghi 5 In Valencia (Photo by Luca Butto'/Alinghi)
With less than three weeks to the first race of the America’s Cup, Alinghi held an open day at its base in Valencia for international media to come and learn about the racing and what to expect just 19 days from now. Too much wind prevented Alinghi 5 from sailing, but it gave people a chance to have a closer look at the boat.
Alinghi team president, Ernesto Bertarelli, and team skipper, Brad Butterworth, set the day in motion with a few words on the recent race training with Alinghi 5 in Valencia: “We are ready, we are sailing, the team is in place and the excitement is apparent. We finally saw our competitor sailing yesterday and they also seem ready, so let’s go racing and have a great America’s Cup Match on 8 February. Let’s try to get away from the past two years of troubles and discussions and let’s see who has the fastest boat,” declared Bertarelli.
Sailing and sport was the topic of the day with workshops on ‘AC33: The Match’ by Ed Baird, one of the Alinghi helmsmen, and on ‘Alinghi 5: the design and technical challenges’, by Rolf Vrolijk, chief designer, and Silvio Arrivabene, construction and planning manager. Unfortunately as has often been the case during the 33rd America’s Cup, BMW Oracle’s latest legal manoeuvring could not be ignored. Ernesto Bertarelli’s retort to the American team’s most recent tactic was: “I am in it for the sailing; I am not in it for the legal fight – way back in 2000 when we launched the team, the objective was to go sailing and it remains so. Now we are on BMW Oracle’s ninth lawsuit: their partial interpretation of ‘constructed in country’. Our boat is Deed compliant, but if BMW Oracle continues to contest our sails, they should consider their own issues, beginning with the fact that ‘USA’ is a French boat. On top of that this morning they asked for redress before the Jury. Obviously Ellison and his team’s strategy is to try and gain as much advantage as they can through the New York courts and they have done this quite well so far but, regardless. What matters is who wins on the 8, 10, 12 February.”
With the Sailing Instructions (SI) and amended Notice of Race (NOR) recently published, Alinghi team skipper, Brad Butterworth added a word on the process: “Drafts of the NOR and the SI have been going back and forth between the teams, the Jury and the principal race officer, Harold Bennett. I am a bit disappointed that we might have a redress thrown at us over little procedural elements of the Sailing Instructions which have been in the NOR for a long time. We are in the position of many yacht clubs around the world whereby SNG has the responsibility of putting on the regatta. If GGYC were the Defender, they would have the right to create the Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions, but they aren’t. It is SNG’s regatta, we have tried to be as open as we can and asked for their comments and we have implemented a lot of them in the different documents, but it is still not enough to convince them that SNG is running the regatta and they are not. We are looking forward to sailing; we have had some good conditions here, and some hard, but the race training so far has been good, so we’re really looking forward to racing them on the 8th.”
Alinghi 5 Under Sail In Valencia (Photo by Luca Butto' / Alinghi)
Alinghi welcomed the Valencia authorities to its base in the Dársena this afternoon to watch the Defender’s giant catamaran, Alinghi 5, be launched ahead of its first sail in Spanish waters. Ernesto Bertarelli, Alinghi team president, greeted Francisco Camps, the president of the region, and Rita Barberá, the Valencia mayoress, who presented him with the Valencia flag which was immediately raised on board Alinghi 5.
“We are ready for the Match!” declared Bertarelli to the media present. “The team is here, I am here and we are prepared for the America’s Cup Match on the 8 February,” he said. “All the pieces are in place for the event to begin, we have an agreement with the City of Valencia to run the shore based side of the 33rd America’s Cup, and we are just waiting for the blessing of the central government in Madrid.”
From left to right: Rafael Aznar, president of the Port Authority of Valencia, Ernesto Bertarelli, Alinghi head of syndicate, Rita Barber, Mayoress of Valencia, Francisco Camps, President of the Valencia Region, and Fred Meyer, Vice Commodore of the Societe Nautique de Genve Luca Butto' / Alinghi).
As the vast sails were lifted on to the catamaran with a crane, the latest lawsuit – BMW Oracle’s ninth – was discussed; Ernesto Bertarelli was firm on the subject: “Our sails are rooted in Swiss technology and they have been constructed in Villeneuve, Switzerland. This Swiss technology has been used by both defenders and challengers in the America’s Cup since 1995 and we have been through years of development in Switzerland to construct them. Should the American justice system outlaw their use, it would be like asking Roger Federer to defend his title without using his tennis racket. BMW Oracle would win the America’s Cup in court as, without our sails, we cannot race.”
Alinghi 5 Launching (Photo by Luca Butto' / Alinghi)
As Alinghi 5 cast off, Ernesto hopped on board the catamaran and the guests boarded the support boats to watch Alinghi 5 go for a shake down sail ahead of the race training programme that begins tomorrow.
Alinghi 5 In Valencia (Photo by Luca Butto'/Alinghi)
