ESP-97

There were no updates on Valencia Sailing earlier because we spent the day following the training of Team Origin, aboard EDP-88, and Desafío, aboard ESP-97. The day started very slowly, with the breeze barely reaching 4 knots but after 3 pm a nice northeasterly of 9-10 knots kicked in and gave the two America’s Cup challengers the opportunity to carry out a couple of windward-leeward practice races.

The full set of photos and an interesting interview with Mike Sanderson will be published later tonight. Alinghi and Luna Rossa were also on the water today, but quite far to get any meaningful picture.

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

With the 2nd edition of the Desafío Trophy starting in 2 days, all four participating teams spent the day training on Valencia’s waters. Given the fact Team Origin, the UK America’s Cup challenger, will be racing ESP-88, Desafío’s second boat, the two teams decided to train against each other. The day started very slowly, with the breeze barely reaching 4 knots but after 3 pm a nice northeasterly of 9-10 knots kicked in and gave the two America’s Cup challengers the opportunity to carry out a couple of windward-leeward practice races.

Although the entire sailing crew of Team Origin is not in Valencia, this was a first opportunity for them to get the team together and practice after many months of inactivity, at least as far as the America’s Cup is concerned. The yacht was helmed by 3-time Olympic gold medalist Ben Ainslie while another Olympic champion, Iain Percy, was calling tactics. On the Spanish side there was no change from yesterday, Paul Cayard is in the British Virgin Islands and Laureano Wizner took over the helm.

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin and Desafío train together. Valencia, 5 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

What a difference a day makes. While Port America’s Cup looked haunted yesterday afternoon, it was buzzing with activity on Monday. All 4 teams that were officially announced, or rumored, to take part in the 2nd edition of the Desafío Trophy were very busy preparing their yachts.

AlinghiThe Defender stepped the mast on SUI-100, the 32nd America’s Cup winner, on Monday morning. The first sail should be on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Alinghi base with SUI-100 already masted. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The Alinghi base with SUI-100 already masted. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

DesafíoESP-97, together with ESP-88, was already on the water when we took the pictures. We don’t know whether they went out for a test sail but the first official training session will take place tomorrow Tuesday at 10:30am.

ESP-97 being prepared by Desafío’s shore crew. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team OriginThe shore crew of the British America’s Cup challenger has been in Valencia since a couple of days and today they took ESP-88 for a test sail at around 5pm. While the Spanish America’s Cup yacht was being towed out of the canal we spotted Andy Claughton, Design Coordinator, Stan Honey, Technical Director, and Mickey Ickert, Aero Director, together with 3-4 Desafío members.

ESP-88 taken for a test sail with Andy Claughton, Stan Honey and Mickey Ickert from Team Origin. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

ESP-88 taken for a test sail with Andy Claughton, Stan Honey and Mickey Ickert from Team Origin. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Luna RossaWe had expressed our doubts but it appears our information was indeed correct. Luna Rossa will participate in the 2nd edition of the Desafío Trophy with its latest America’s Cup yacht, ITA-94. The Italian team’s shore crew stepped the mast today and the first splash is expected on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Luna Rossa with ITA-94 already masted. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

What a difference a day makes. While Port America’s Cup looked haunted yesterday afternoon, it was buzzing with activity on Monday. All 4 teams that were officially announced, or rumored, to take part in the 2nd edition of the Desafío Trophy were very busy preparing their yachts.

AlinghiThe Defender stepped the mast on SUI-100, the 32nd America’s Cup winner, on Monday morning. The first sail should be on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Alinghi base with SUI-100 already masted. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The Alinghi base with SUI-100 already masted. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

DesafíoESP-97, together with ESP-88, was already on the water when we took the pictures. We don’t know whether they went out for a test sail but the first official training session will take place tomorrow Tuesday at 10:30am.

ESP-97 being prepared by Desafío’s shore crew. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team OriginThe shore crew of the British America’s Cup challenger has been in Valencia since a couple of days and today they took ESP-88 for a test sail at around 5pm. While the Spanish America’s Cup yacht was being towed out of the canal we spotted Andy Claughton, Design Coordinator, Stan Honey, Technical Director, and Mickey Ickert, Aero Director, together with 3-4 Desafío members.

ESP-88 taken for a test sail with Andy Claughton, Stan Honey and Mickey Ickert from Team Origin. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

ESP-88 taken for a test sail with Andy Claughton, Stan Honey and Mickey Ickert from Team Origin. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Luna RossaWe had expressed our doubts but it appears our information was indeed correct. Luna Rossa will participate in the 2nd edition of the Desafío Trophy with its latest America’s Cup yacht, ITA-94. The Italian team’s shore crew stepped the mast today and the first splash is expected on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Luna Rossa with ITA-94 already masted. Valencia, 3 November 2008. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Finally, there is something to report in the America’s Cup that is not related to the infamous case that is currently unfolding in the New York Supreme Court. After weeks talking about affidavits, lawsuits, court hearings and richly-paid lawyers the news from Valencia is about sport.

After a hiatus of two months, the Challenger of Record, Desafío Español, is getting back to business. On Monday afternoon, we spotted the Spanish challenger’s primary yacht, ESP-97, masted with the shore crew working on it. Presumably, it won’t be long before Desafío Español hits the water aboard the yacht that reached the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals last June.

According to general manager Agustín Zulueta, Desafío Español will have completed its crew selection within the next two weeks and a formal announcement of the line up should be expected during the first week of October.

Desafío Español’s ESP-97 getting ready at the team’s base. Valencia, 17 September 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Desafío Español’s ESP-97 getting ready at the team’s base. Valencia, 17 September 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Original post by Valencia Sailing and software by Elliott Back

Finally, there is something to report in the America’s Cup that is not related to the infamous case that is currently unfolding in the New York Supreme Court. After weeks talking about affidavits, lawsuits, court hearings and richly-paid lawyers the news from Valencia is about sport.

After a hiatus of two months, the Challenger of Record, Desafío Español, is getting back to business. On Monday afternoon, we spotted the Spanish challenger’s primary yacht, ESP-97, masted with the shore crew working on it. Presumably, it won’t be long before Desafío Español hits the water aboard the yacht that reached the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals last June.

According to general manager Agustín Zulueta, Desafío Español will have completed its crew selection within the next two weeks and a formal announcement of the line up should be expected during the first week of October. Everybody’s attention will be focused on two key positions, the helmsman and the sports director. In the previous America’s Cup they were respectively held by Karol Jablonski and Luis Doreste. Both sailors have left the team (Jablonski is the new helmsman of the German America’s Cup team) and it is still unclear who will take over. Paul Cayard has been widely rumored as Doreste’s replacement, but this is obviously unconfirmed.

Finally, today marks, approximately, the beginning of the last year of useful life for these yachts. They will undoubtedly retire after next year’s second pre-regatta, scheduled to take place in September and be replaced by the new 90-foot class proposed by Alinghi.

Desafío Español’s ESP-97 getting ready at the team’s base. Valencia, 17 September 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Desafío Español’s ESP-97 getting ready at the team’s base. The Valencia, 17 September 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Original post by Valencia Sailing and software by Elliott Back

Finally, there is something to report in the America’s Cup that is not related to the infamous case that is currently unfolding in the New York Supreme Court. After weeks talking about affidavits, lawsuits, court hearings and richly-paid lawyers the news from Valencia is about sport.

After a hiatus of two months, the Challenger of Record, Desafío Español, is getting back to business. On Monday afternoon, we spotted the Spanish challenger’s primary yacht, ESP-97, masted with the shore crew working on it. Presumably, it won’t be long before Desafío Español hits the water aboard the yacht that reached the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals last June.

According to general manager Agustín Zulueta, Desafío Español will have completed its crew selection within the next two weeks and a formal announcement of the line up should be expected during the first week of October. Everybody’s attention will be focused on two key positions, the helmsman and the sports director. In the previous America’s Cup they were respectively held by Karol Jablonski and Luis Doreste. Both sailors have left the team (Jablonski is the new helmsman of the German America’s Cup team) and it is still unclear who will take over. Paul Cayard has been widely rumored as Doreste’s replacement, but this is obviously unconfirmed.

Finally, today marks, approximately, the beginning of the last year of useful life for these yachts. They will undoubtedly retire after next year’s second pre-regatta, scheduled to take place in September and be replaced by the new 90-foot class proposed by Alinghi.

Desafío Español’s ESP-97 getting ready at the team’s base. Valencia, 17 September 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Desafío Español’s ESP-97 getting ready at the team’s base. The Valencia, 17 September 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Original post by Valencia Sailing and software by Elliott Back