America's Cup teams training in Valencia

We resume our normal daily updates with a brief report from all the training action taking place in Valencia. Summer is definitely over in the host city of the 32nd America's Cup, days are clearly shorter and cooler but a week or so of very good wind conditions has given all teams the opportunity to go ahead with their training programs at full speed. Yesterday afternoon, we spotted almost all teams either racing their two boats or testing their skills against one of the other challengers.

The novelty this week was the reappearance of ITA-90, after an absence of several months. Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team continued their two-boat training for the second day, match racing ITA-77 and ITA-90 a few hundred meters from the Malvarosa beach giving the, albeit few, Valencian bathers an excellent show. Still, just like the rest of the teams, they moved to the south course, off El Saler beach, where the afternoon breeze built up to 18 knots.

ITA-90 being towed out of Port America's Cup for her first training after several months. Valencia, 04 October 2006. Photo by Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

ITA-77 and ITA-90 training for the first time after several months. Valencia, 04 October 2006. Photo copyright: Alex D'Agosta / Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team

ITA-77 and ITA-90 training for the first time after several months. Valencia, 04 October 2006. Photo copyright: Alex D'Agosta / Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team

Also very close to the Malvarosa beach, Desafío Español and Luna Rossa spent the day match racing with their new boats, ESP-88 and ITA-86 respectively.

The Swedish challenger, Victory Challenge, was not far from there carrying out internal match race with SWE-63 and SWE-73 as they have been doing for a few weeks now.

Obviously, BMW Oracle and Alinghi could not be absent and were sailing their two boats. The Challenger of Record, with USA-76 and USA-87, chose the southernmost part of the south course, far away from the rest of the teams. As we wrote, it is reported the American challenger is trying new sails rumored to be "revolutionary". Obviously, barely being able to spot the two yachts, we cannot corroborate this claim. As for the Defender, Alinghi, they started later in the day, with SUI-64 and SUI-91.