Meanwhile in Valencia... BMW Oracle is setting up their temporary base in Valencia's commercial port

Last week in our report from Port America's Cup we wrote that, unlike Alinghi, BMW Oracle's base was "suspiciously quiet". That is not entirely correct and we have to rectify after visiting today the America's Cup challenger's temporary "reception and assembly" base in the commercial port of Valencia.

As we have been informed by Consorcio 2007 (the Spanish state entity in charge of the 32nd and now the 33rd America's Cup) and the Valencia Port Authority, BMW Oracle had requested and was given an area inside the commercial port in order to set up a temporary "reception and assembly" base. The reason the Americans requested such a space was the difficulty the trimaran would face in order to enter into the canal connecting the interior basin to the sea under adverse weather conditions.

Valencia's commercial port being the biggest in the Mediterranean, both in terms of size and traffic, there was plenty of space available, in particular due to the current expansion works going on. As a result, it wasn't difficult for the Port Authority to give the space the American team needed. You can check its position on the Google map drawing below. It appears the base is on a body of water because the photo must be 2-3 years old.

We visited the BMW Oracle compound late in the afternoon of Wednesday and snapped a couple of pictures on the fly. It took me some time to find it, so light conditions were far from optimal. Needless to worry, we'll be back there very soon. Still one can get a clear idea of the facilities the Americans will use. They consist of 3 tents forming a U, a dozen or so of containers and the wrapped USA-76, covering a total of approximately 3,000 square meters. There was plenty of activity and the shore crew was busy preparing the base in view of BOR90's expected arrival in 10-15 days.

Last but not least, it has been erroneously reported that the 2 racing yachts will be based in that area, far from Port America's Cup and behind closed gates for the general public. This is not correct, and as we have always reported, they will be both docked inside the basin, weather permitting. Stay tuned for further info from the world's sailing capital.

BMW Oracle's temporary "reception and assembly" base in the commercial port. Valencia, 23 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

BMW Oracle's temporary "reception and assembly" base in the commercial port. Valencia, 23 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The Alinghi base in Port America's Cup. Valencia, 23 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Location of BMW Oracle's temporary "reception and assembly" base in the commercial port. Valencia, 23 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing