Team Origin in Valencia for Desafío Trophy

by ValenciaSailing.com on 5 Nov 2008
http://www.valenciasailing.blogspot.com!ValenciaSailing reports on the latest developments in Port America's Cup:

What a difference a day makes. Valencia's Port America is buzzing with activity as four AC teams gear up for Desafío Trophy. All four teams that were officially announced, or rumoured to take part in the 2nd edition of the America's Cup class Desafío Trophy were very busy preparing their yachts.

Team Origin - the shore crew of the British America's Cup challenger has been in Valencia for a couple of days and Monday 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 three or four Desafío members.

Alinghi - the 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.

Desafío ESP-97 - together with ESP-88, was already on the water when we took the pictures.

All four teams that will participate in the second edition of the Desafío Trophy were out on the water Tuesday, testing their yachts. Desafío carried out their tests on ESP-97 close to the Malvarosa beach while Team Origin, aboard ESP-88, went further out. On our way back from the water, Alinghi's SUI-100 and Luna Rossa's ITA-94 were docked in front of the bases, ready for the maiden sail.

I briefly followed Desafío for a couple of gybes and tacks. Although the crewlist has not been finalized, the most important absence was Paul Cayard's. The American sailor is not in Valencia and as a result the yacht was helmed by Laureano Wizner, the helmsman of the victorious GP42 yacht.

I obviously spotted the usual fmailiar faces from this year's GP42 and TP52 circuits, such as Santi López-Vázquez, John Cutler, Bruno Zirilli, Nacho Braquehais, Jorge Ondo, Carlo Castellano or Miguel Jaúregui.


For the rest of this story and more images see http://www.valenciasailing.blogspot.com!ValenciaSailing