America's Cup

July 5 - The America's Cup racing season closes in Valencia with Emirates Team New Zealand on top of the leaderboard. Media release with an update on each team at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0705b.htm

July 2 - Emirates Team New Zealand won a 'winner take all' match over Alinghi on Sunday afternoon on the waters off Valencia to win Louis Vuitton Act 12 and claim the 2006 ACC Season Championship. BMW ORACLE Racing and Luna Rossa's fight for third got a little too intense. A collision on the first upwind leg saw the American bowsprit torn from the boat, while Luna Rossa showed significant damage on the port side of its boat. The Jury ruled that Luna Rossa must pay its own costs, as well as 80 percent of the repair bill on the American boat. Media releases at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0627a.htm

June 25 - America's Cup - Louis Vuitton Act 12, Valencia. Sweden's Victory Challenge beat the defender of the America's Cup Alinghi in a hard fought match. It was a tremendous win for the Swede's who handed Alinghi just its fifth loss from 51 starts. Alinghi's loss clears the top of the leaderboard for Emirates Team New Zealand, who are now the only team with a perfect record after four days of racing. No racing Monday. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0621f.htm

June 20 - Louis Vuitton Act 12, Valencia, Spain – Match Racing will be held June 22 – July 2.

June 12 - Valencia is the fastest growing tourism destination in Europe according to the Spanish Tourism Board. The biggest development is the creation of the Port America’s Cup, which has transformed the commercial port into a purpose-built facility for bases for the 12 teams. Two charter companies based in Port America’s Cup offer group and individual bookings on cruises to see the racing. Charter boats are also available from other locations. More information at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0612b.htm

May 21 - Alinghi leads the 'big four' at the top, winning  Louis Vuitton Act 11, a fleet racing event in Valencia. Media releases at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0519a.htm

May 17 - The American BMW ORACLE Racing team won the Louis Vuitton Act 10, extending its lead on the points table. Their only loss was to Alinghi. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0516c.htm

May 15 - An important day of racing at the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 10 saw the Defender, Alinghi, beat BMW ORACLE Racing with an impressive display of skill and speed. The victory opens the top of the leaderboard, with all to play for in the remaining two flights of racing. Media releases at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0510e.htm

May 14 - The French Areva Challenge was the winner on a long Sunday afternoon at the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts. The French team beat the home side, Desafío Español, in their match on a day that saw just one flight of racing completed. Media releases at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0510e.htm

May 13 - On the second day of the Louis Vuitton Act 10 Desafío Español was christened and earned a great victory over Luna Rossa - their first win over one of the 'big four'. After the third day BMW ORACLE Racing beat Emirates Team New Zealand, and is the only team to remain undefeated. Luna Rossa Challenge recovered from her defeat by the Spanish and beat Alinghi. Media releases at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0510e.htm

May 11 - It was a good first day for the new boats in the Louis Vuitton Act 10 in Valencia. The big teams have got their new toys up to speed very quickly, but we will have to wait until later in the week to see if any of the new boats are a match for Alinghi's benchmark boat, SUI-75. Media releases at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0510e.htm

May 10 - The big three challengers have indicated that they intend to race their new boats when the Louis Vuitton Act 10 begins tomorrow, while the Defender has decided to keep the new SUI-91 under wraps for a while longer. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0510e.htm

April 8 - Two innovative new media services - America's Cup Broadband TV and America's Cup Live Sailing, developed by Alcatel - are being launched for the 2006 Louis Vuitton Acts, enabling fans of the America's Cup to follow the action and excitement from Valencia, how, when and where they want. Media releases at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0508c.htm

April 8 - The defender Alinghi and eleven challengers will compete in the Louis Vuitton Act 10, the first match racing event for 2006, to be held in Valencia on May 11 – 18. Five points separate the three top challengers, BMW Oracle Racing USA, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Challenge ITA.

 - Paolo Cian, helmsman of the Mascalzone Latino Challenger in the 2002/3 America's Cup joins Team Shosholoza as a helmsman and expert match racing coach in a further effort to fast track the skills of the South African newcomers to sailing's oldest and most prestigious contest. http://www.americascup.com/en/

April 26 - Mal Parker, a trimmer from Tasmania, joins the Victory Challenge for the America's Cup. He was on GBR Challenge in Auckland and sailed with Young Australia in 2000. http://www.victorychallenge.com

April 17 - A new feature has been added to the America's Cup website. The Circling Galaxy is an online archive of America's Cup history, featuring stories on people, events and boats. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0412d.htm

April 5 - The French K-Challenge team has found a title sponsor for the 32nd America's Cup and has been renamed AREVA Challenge. Areva is an international power company with over half of its 58000 employees based in France. http://www.k-challenge.org

April 3 - The 'China Sails into the America's Cup' promotional evening in Beijing was a roaring success on Saturday night.  It will be broadcast to a potential audience of more than 350-million households. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0403e.htm

Mar 31 - IdeaArgo an Italian based organization will be launching an unique challenge for the 2010 America's Cup. An international crew of athletes with a disability will take on the challenge and the team is already being assembled from around the world.  http://www.ideaargo.org

Mar 28 - Navigator Marc Lagesse saved America's Cup Team Shosholoza some highly specialized computer equipment after a rope lassoed the boat's prized black box during a sail training maneuver and flicked it overboard. He dived in after it an managed to grab the handle of the computer in about two to three metres of water before it sank the 30 metres to the bottom. http://www.team-shosholoza.com

Mar 23 - Two marina facilities just minutes from the America's Cup race courses will add over 600 new berths to the Port America's Cup in Valencia, Spain. Basic moorage rates during the 2006 racing season start at €105.00 for a 15-metre boat overnight. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0323.htm

Mar 22 - Australian Brett Jones, 40, and Italian Tommaso Chieffi, 45, and  have joined Team Shosholoza as crew/coaches in a part-time capacity so that they can also continue their respective careers. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0322g.htm

May 12 - If you are travelling to Europe in 2006 you can see the America's Cup boats in action as the series of preliminary acts continues in Valencia, Spain where the big event will be held next year. Fleet and match racing will be conducted on the following dates in 2006 if conditions are right.
Act 10 - May 11 - 18
Act 11 - May 19 - 21
Act 12 - June 22 - July 2
http://www.americascup.com

Mar 6 - America's Cup - The first new boat of the Italian Luna Rossa challenge has arrived in Valencia.  BMW ORACLE Racing team became the first America's Cup squad to bring a new generation boat to Valencia when its USA XX arrived after a flight from Seattle. The team hasn't disclosed the sail number of the new yacht, thus the designation, USA XX. Shosholoza, the South African Challenger is back sailing with a new skipper Mark Sadler (30), after a two month break from Spain. Racing resumes May 11. http://www.americascup.com

Mar 2 - A 'China sails into the America's Cup' concert will be staged in Beijing on April 1 to celebrate China Team, the first Chinese challenger in the history of the America's Cup. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0302b.htm

Feb 27 - On the eve of his posthumous induction into the America's Cup Hall of Fame, it has again been suggested by Americans that Australia's Ben Lexcen was not primarily responsible for the design of the Cup-winning Australia II, and as a consequence was not eligible to race. Story by Rob Mundle in The Australian at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0227c.htm

Feb 18 - Australia winning the America's Cup in 1983 was voted 'the top sporting moment' by Sydney Herald readers, well ahead of the Sydney Olympics. Full story by Jennie Curtin and top ten at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0218.htm

Feb 17 - A large selection of the photos taken by Gilles Martin-Raget of America’s Cup racing since 1983 is at http://www.martin-raget.com  Quest For the Cup, the first BMW ORACLE Racing book with words by Ivor Wilkins is available online.

Feb 10 - Injured Team Shosholoza’s Geoff Meek steps down in favour of younger skipper Mark Sadler. Dee Smith USA joins the South African challenge as Team Manager, coach and tactician. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0210d.htm

Feb 7 - Ben Lexcen and Stephen A. Van Dyck have been named as the 2006 inductees to the America’s Cup Hall of Fame. Media release by Dana Paxton at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0207b.htm

Editor's note: Many sailors (not just Aussies) believed that the America's Cup Hall of Fame had lost all credibility by continuing to not include Ben Lexcen. Australia II's skipper John Bertrand and owner Alan Bond have been honoured but Lexcen missed out - some say because of his behaviour at the New York Yacht Club, others, because he didn't designed Australia II alone (read the media release - does anyone!) and others simply because he designed the boat that took the cup away from America.

Jan 24 - Dame Pattie, the Australian Challenger for the 1967 America’s Cup is for sale in Canada. The 12 metre yacht was designed by Warwick Hood, skippered by Jock Sturrock and owned by a syndicate from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. More information at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0124.htm

Jan 24 - Extensive live television coverage of the three 2006 Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts will be made available to rights-holding broadcasters of the 32nd America's Cup. Visitors to the Port America's Cup in Valencia will see the action on a giant screen in the park. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0124a.htm

Jan 22 - Photos of the new NZL 84 sailing in Auckland by Chris Cameron at http://www.chriscameron.co.nz/db/thumbnails.php?album=103

Jan 18 - 32nd America's Cup - Brad Dellenbaugh USA has been appointed to the role of Chief Umpire. Dellenbaugh had previously served as Deputy Chief Umpire under Bryan Willis, who stepped down from the role at the end of the year to focus on his chairmanship of the Jury.

News Archives

Boating OZ links page to 2002/3 defenders and challengers' websites, results and news sources at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news02/amercup.htm