Desafío Español unveil new colors for ESP-97 hull

Desafío Español, the Spanish America's Cup Challenger, unveiled this afternoon the new colors for the hull of the team's future boat ESP-97, whose construction is now in its final stages at the King Marine boatyard near Valencia. The presentation took place inside the syndicate's base in Valencia and tens of journalists took a glimpse at the colors the Spanish challenger will be sporting in 2007.

To our great disappointment, we didn't have the pleasure and privilege to get a first glimpse at the brand new boat but instead the future colors were applied on a 8-meter model that was used during the canal tests for the design of ESP-97. At first glance, the changes are not radical although they are more clear aft.

According to Agustín Zulueta, general manager of Desafío Español, the change in colors and branding was made for two reasons. Firstly, the team's principal sponsor and owner of the marketing rights of the hull, Iberdrola, wanted to rejuvenate the image and branding of the boat, making it closer to its own corporate colors, predominantly green, while adding another logo right below where the helmsman usually stands. Since marketing is increasingly important in this sport, sponsors want to optimize their exposure and according to the team it has been observed that a great number of pictures and television shots focus precisely on that area.

Secondly, the new image requires less paint and fixes some minor glitches. There are just 4 colors in the new design while ESP-65, ESP67 and ESP-88 required a total of 17 different colors. That alone drastically reduces the time needed to paint the hull from 14 days to just 3, eliminating in addition approximately 15 kilos of paint from the hull that designers can put in the bulb. It also makes repairs faster to carry out, especially in case of a collision. According to Zulueta, a detail that might sound minor plays an important role. There are no vertical lines but instead all 4 colors are separated horizontally by curves. A vertical line of separation between two colors on the hull is more exposed to seawater and particular attention and care is needed every evening after the yacht returns from the races. By eliminating these vertical lines the shore crew reduces its workload.

The new colors and design certainly did not take our breath away but after all Desafío Español is not participating in a beauty pageant..

B-roll shot and edited by Golix

The future colors of ESP-97 applied on an actual 8-meter model. Valencia, 30 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The future colors of ESP-97 applied on an actual 8-meter model. Valencia, 30 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Artist's impression of the future colors of ESP-97. Photo copyright Desafío Español

Artist's impression of the future colors of ESP-97. Photo copyright Desafío Español

Gilmour leading the Monsoon Cup after difficult first day

[Source: World Match Racing Tour] After a trying day beset by light winds and intermittent downpours, Peter Gilmour took the early lead in defense of his title at the Monsoon Cup, Stage 6 of the 2006-’07 World Match Racing Tour.

Gilmour, skipper of PST, finished the day with a 3-0 record to claim the top spot. Behind him is a group of four skippers – including Jesper Bank, Paolo Cian, Sébastien Col and Ian Williams – at 3-1.

“It was a very hard day. The wind was shifting everywhere,” said Cian, a helmsman for Team Shosholoza. “The starts were important and boatspeed is always important. The difference between crossing and not was a half meter.”

While the names at the top of the leaderboard are familiar, it was a 22-year-old Malaysian woman who stole the show. Tiffany Koo, Malaysia’s rising female match-racer, made a splash in her World Tour debut when she won her first match against Asian rival Wearn Haw Tan from Singapore.

“I can’t really describe how I feel,” Koo said. “We’re very happy. We won our first race in the Monsoon Cup.” Koo gained entry to the Monsoon Cup by winning the Malaysian nationals in September. A dinghy sailor by training, she won the 2001 Byte World Championship and a Gold medal in the Laser Radial class at the 2001 Southeast Asian Games, Koo has recently abandoned the small boats to take up match racing and do more big boat sailing. She trims headsails on the 75-footer Jelik.

Koo, however, looked like an experienced hand in her first race. She came off the start line in a split-tack start against Tan, taking port onto the racecourse near the committee boat end. Tan, meanwhile, took starboard up the left side of the racecourse. About two-thirds of the way up the leg Koo, on starboard, easily crossed Tan with about two boatlengths to spare. She rounded the first windward mark more than 30 seconds in the lead, and never looked back.

The second time around the windward mark she was more than a minute and a half in the lead, and easily on her way to victory. “I was nervous and excited,” Koo said of her emotions heading into the pre-start. “It was a good learning experience. After a few races I pushed to work harder.” Koo finished the day with a 1-3 record.

The wind conditions made the day difficult for all involved. The Race Committee was on the water for more than nine hours, taking a break only for lunch during a monsoon squall.

The wind this time of year is typically from a northerly quadrant, but today it blew from a southerly quadrant and was light, topping out around 6 knots in puffs. There were other factors that compounded the mental strain on the sailors, such as the ripping current and short racecourses.

The Pulau Duyong Basin sits at the confluence of two rivers. The tide rips through before flowing to the South China Sea. On a racecourse barely 300 meters long, the racing was tight and placed a huge emphasis on starting. Then, the winning move seemed to be heading to the right side of the first beat, where there was current relief.

“It was a right-hand day, which was also the right-of-way tack,” said Gilmour. “It was a nice place to be.” Gilmour scored wins over Bjorn Hansen, Peter Holmberg and Col for his 3-0 mark.

The vagaries of the conditions caught several experienced hands out on a few occasions. James Spithill, of Luna Rossa Challenge, lost to Tan after leading comfortably around the second windward mark. Spithill jibed to starboard after the rounding, which should’ve put him in better current. Tan held port towards the shoreline. When they converged again two-thirds down the run Tan crossed ahead of Spithill and hung on for his only win of the day in five starts.

Spithill, however, came back against Williams in Flight 6. He led around the first lap, let Williams back in the race at the bottom of the second upwind leg, only to overtake the Briton again at the second windward mark.

Williams also scored a come-from-behind win, versus Bank. “It was a difficult course to call today,” said Williams. “The left looked better for pressure but the right was better for tide.” “The wind was all over the compass,” said Bank, who has excelled in light and shifty winds at the Danish Open. “I can’t compare this at all to Copenhagen.”

Racing is scheduled to resume on Friday morning around 9:45 a.m., weather permitting.

Monsoon Cup Round Robin Provisional Standings
(After 6 of 17 scheduled flights)

1. Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST, 3-0
2. Jesper Bank (DEN) United Internet Team Germany, 3-1
T. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Shosholoza, 3-1
T. Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team, 3-1
T. Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar, 3-1
6. Sébastien Col (FRA) Areva Challenge, 2-2
T. James Spithill (AUS) Luna Rossa Challenge, 2-2
8. Peter Holmberg (ISV) Alinghi, 1-2
9. Tiffany Koo (MAL) Team Selango Gapurna, 1-3
T. Björn Hansen (SWE) Team Apport.net, 1-3
11. Wearn Haw Tan (SIN) China Team, 1-4
12. Adam Minoprio (NZL) Black Match Racing, 0-3

Six America's Cup teams practice on Wednesday at the Monsoon Cup

The Monsson Cup kicked off this Wednesday with an opening ceremony, practice sailing and an exhibitional pro-am regatta.

Racing for the lucrative purse begins in earnest tomorrow with a number of matches pitting national and regional rivals against each other, as well as leaders in the Match Racing World Championship standings.

Flight 1, Match 1 will see Ian Williams of Team Pindar squaring off against Paolo Cian and Team Shosholoza. Williams leads the standings with 47 points, and Cian is tied for third with 30 points. Both have scored wins in the first five stages. Williams won the Bermuda Gold Cup last month and Cian was victorious at St. Moritz Match Race in August.

Match 2 has Sébastien Col of France’s Areva Challenge for the America’s Cup scheduled to race compatriot Mathieu Richard of the Saba Sailing Team. Col lies seventh in the standings with 29 points after winning Stage 3, the Danish Open, in August, and Richard is sixth in the standings with 30 points after having finished second in Bermuda.

In Flight 3, Match 1, Peter Gilmour, the reigning Monsoon Cup and World Match Racing Champion, races against Peter Holmberg, of America’s Cup defense syndicate Alinghi. The two are spirited competitors who have a deft touch on the helm and use the rules to their advantage.

Match 4 in the flight pits a pair of Asians against each other in what is believed to be the first such meeting in an ISAF Grade WC match-race regatta. Malaysia’s Tiffany Koo, winner of the first Malaysian Match Race Championship, will race Singapore’s Wearn Haw Tan, a member of the China Team. Tan placed 13th in his World Tour debut at St. Moritz Match Race in August, while Koo is making her debut.

America's Cup teams in the Monsoon Cup

United Internet Team Germany
Skipper: Jesper BankSkipper and Helmsman of United Internet Team Germany

Click for more info
Crew: Henrik BlakskjaerTactician of United Internet Team Germany

Click for more info, Thomas JacobsenTraveller of United Internet Team Germany

Click for more info, Mike MottlTrimmer of United Internet Team Germany

Click for more info, Jan SchoepePitman of United Internet Team Germany

Click for more info

Team Shosholoza
Skipper: Paolo CianHelmsman of Team Shosholoza

Crew: Ian AinslieAfterguard of Team Shosholoza
, Fernando Colaninno, Pierluigi Fornelli, David RaeTrimmer of Team Shosholoza


Areva Challenge
Skipper: Sébastien ColHelmsman of Areva Challenge

Click for more info
Crew: Christophe AndréGrinder of Areva Challenge

Click for more info, Benoît BriandMainsail Trimmer of Areva Challenge

Click for more info, Gilles FavennecMember of Areva Challenge

Click for more info, Thierry PeponnetTactician of Areva Challenge

Click for more info

Alinghi
Skipper: Peter Holmberg
Crew: Rodney Ardern, Lorenzo Mazza, Dean Phipps, Piet van Nieuwenhuyzen

China Team
Skipper: Wearn Haw TanTrimmer of China Team

Crew: Thierry BarotGrinder of China Team
, Xavier HussonPitman of China Team
, Yurii Siegel, Zhang Wenpei

Luna Rossa Challenge
Skipper: James SpithillHelmsman of Luna Rossa Challenge

Click for more info
Crew: Magnus AugustonGrinder of Luna Rossa Challenge

Click for more info, Torben GraelTactician of Luna Rossa Challenge

Click for more info, Michele IvaldiNavigator of Luna Rossa Challenge

Click for more info, Joe NewtonTraveller of Luna Rossa Challenge
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Click for more info

It's not called the Monsoon Cup for no reason. Four America's Cup teams tried to practice on Wednesday under the pouring rain. From right to left, Areva Challenge, Luna Rossa, Alinghi and United Internet Team Germany. Terengganu, 29 November 2006. Photo copyright Guido Cantini / World Match Racing Tour

BMW Oracle's USA-71 begins summer session in New Zealand

[Source: BMW Oracle] Auckland city residents and office workers were treated to a fine display of America’s Cup class sailing right on their doorstep today as BMW ORACLE Racing put USA 71 through its paces on the city waterfront.

Skipper and CEO Chris Dickson and the core sailing team left the team’s temporary base in the Viaduct Basin at 8am and, after a short tow out onto the harbour, hoisted sail and paraded up and down just a stone’s throw from the downtown office towers.

For more than an hour, the yacht went through its paces on the harbour as the crew ran a series of checks to ensure everything was functioning properly.

This was the first time USA 71 had sailed since being re-assembled in Auckland. The yacht was shipped direct to New Zealand after competing in the German Sailing Grand Prix in Kiel.

Following the two New Zealand America’s Cup regattas in 2000 and 2003, Aucklanders are well used to seeing the high-tech race yachts towed down the harbour on their way to the Hauraki Gulf. But it is much more unusual, although not unheard of, for the yachts to actually sail so close to the city.

After completing all the necessary checks, the yacht proceeded down the harbour, past the iconic red and white striped Rangitoto lighthouse and out into the Hauraki Gulf for further testing.

Brisk southwesterly winds, rising to 25 knots, greeted the sailing team and they were able to give the yacht a thorough shake-down in boisterous conditions.

USA 71 will be sailing regularly on the Hauraki Gulf up to the Christmas break as the BMW ORACLE Racing team conducts a summer training programme in New Zealand. After Christmas, the team will introduce a later generation yacht and double the 38-strong squad for an intense programme of two-boat training.

Also on the schedule, but still to be confirmed, is a series of races against Emirates Team New Zealand, which is also based in Auckland for the summer.

The summer work up is to continue preparation for the Louis Vuitton Cup series, which commences in Valencia in April.

Monsoon Cup starts tomorrow

[Source: World Match Racing Tour]

What — Monsoon Cup, Stage 6 of the 2006-’07 World Tour
Where — Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
When — Nov. 29-Dec. 3, 2006
Organizing Authority — T-Best Events
Host — Terengganu Heritage Bay Club & Marina
Prize Purse — MYR 1 million (approximately $275,000)
Boat — Foundation 36
Racing Area — Pulau Duyong Basin
Who’s Entered — 12 teams including the reigning ISAF Match Racing World Champion and event champion, the current leader of the ISAF Match Racing World Championship standings, five of the top eight in the world championship standings, six of the top 10 in the ISAF Open Match Race Rankings, and six teams representing syndicates for the America’s Cup, including defender Alinghi.

The Monsoon Cup has become one of the biggest sporting events in Malaysia. It was founded to help promote both the sailing industry and tourism in the eastern state of Terengganu, as well as the Terengganu Heritage Bay Club, a resort property development. Now in its 2nd year, the Monsoon Cup is the world’s richest sailing event with a MYR 1 million (approximately $275,000) prize purse. The winner earns MYR 250,000 (approx. $70,000). Last year’s event generated MYR 73 million (more than $20 million) in gross media value, and this year’s event will again have live coverage.

Entry List

Jesper BankSkipper and Helmsman of United Internet Team Germany

Click for more info (DEN) United Internet Team Germany — Tied for 3rd in World Championship standings
Paolo CianHelmsman of Team Shosholoza
(ITA) Team Shosholoza — Tied for 3rd in World Championship standings
Sébastien ColHelmsman of Areva Challenge

Click for more info (FRA) Areva Challenge — Placed 7th in World Championship standings
Peter Gilmour (AUS) Pro Sailing Team — Reigning ISAF Match Racing World Champion and event champion
Björn Hansen (SWE) Team Apport.net — Placed 14th in World Championship standings
Peter Holmberg (ISV) Alinghi — Placed 17th in World Championship standings
Tiffany Koo (MAL) Team Selangor Gapurna — Winner Malaysian Match Racing Championship, first Malaysian woman to compete in Grade WC match-race regatta
Adam Minoprio (NZL) Black Match Racing — Winner Asia Match Racing Championship
Wearn Haw TanTrimmer of China Team
(SIN) China Team — Placed 13th at St. Moritz Match Race in August
Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team — Placed 6th in World Championship standings
James SpithillHelmsman of Luna Rossa Challenge

Click for more info (AUS) Luna Rossa Challenge — Placed 20th in World Championship standings
Ian Williams (GBR, above) Team Pindar — Leader of World Championship standings

Time is running out for your hotel reservations

Time flies as they say. You shouldn't wait till the last moment to make your hotel reservations in Valencia. According to various reports in Valencia's newspapers, not only will the number of tourists visiting the city will have doubled from 1 million in 2003 to 2 million in 2007 but most hotels will be fully booked from April till July next year.

Take advantage of our easy-to-use online reservation system by clicking on the link at the upper right-hand corner of the website. It can be used both for individual or group reservations since you can book up to 5 rooms at the same hotel at very competitive rates.

Now you can even have ALL the hotels in Valencia in front of your eyes. If you have Google Earth installed on your computer (you can download it for free at Google), just click here, save the file and open it with Google Earth. The file will open inside Google Earth ALL the hotels in Valencia and its surrounding area. You can see the exact location of the hotels, have more details on your desired destination and make your reservation, on the spot, inside Google Earth's browser. It's as simple as that.

I know nobody likes commercials but they are necessary in order for me to keep bringing you the best sailing content. Valencia Sailing earns a small commission for each night stayed at a hotel through our system. Thank you!

Areva Challenge christens FRA-93 and sets ambitious goal

It was the turn of the French America's Cup challenger Areva Challenge to present and christen their brand new yacht FRA-93 and they did it on Friday night during a nice "fiesta" in a tent in front of their base. We won't go into details about the show since you can watch here a nice video produced by the team.

What was really surprising was the very ambitious tone set by Stéphane KandlerChief Executive Officer of Areva Challenge

Click for more info, CEO of the team, at his opening speach, where he stated the team's goal was to win the America's Cup in Valencia. He couldn't be less explicit in his words when he said "this boat will win the America's Cup in Valencia". Check our exhaustive set of photos in our Friday report, right after the christening.

Who better to talk about the new French rocket than Dimitri NicolopoulosDesign Coordinator of Areva Challenge

Click for more info, design coordinator of Areva Challenge. Since this is a blog and we can afford the luxury of being less formal, I would like to add that a boat designed by someone of Greek-French origin (just like myself) can be nothing but excellent. We'll see next spring and summer.

Valencia Sailing: This is probably a cliché question but how do you feel now that FRA-93 has been christened? I suppose this is one of your happiest days.
Dimitri Nicolopoulos: Absolutely, the whole shore and design teams are thrilled to be able to share with everybody here what we have been designing and building for three years now. Our dream became reality tonight.

Valencia Sailing: Is this a revolutionary, radical boat?
Dimitri Nicolopoulos: Unfortunately for me, everybody can have a good look at the boat at this moment and I had proposed to keep it behind the curtain during the whole evening but our communications department obviously had a different opinion. I doubt anybody could build a revolutionary yacht for this edition of the America's Cup but this is a boat to win the America's Cup.

Valencia Sailing: Are you sure about your claim?
Dimitri Nicolopoulos: I hope so. Honestly, we tried to challenge ourselves in the areas where we thought we could have an impact and minimize the risks when it didn't make much sense taking them.

Valencia Sailing: Did Areva Challenge set you any limits or constraints on your design or did you start from scratch?
Dimitri Nicolopoulos: We didn't start from scratch since we had purschased what is called the design package from Team New Zealand with NZL-57 and NZL-60. As a result we didn't start with a blank paper but with knowledge gained through several years. This proved to be a good starting point and as a design coordinator I assembled a team that consisted of people with long experience as well as young talents. The aim was to mix all these people with mutual respect where everybody carried out their job in a perfect way. It's been an extraordinary period of three years, we had 7 designers in the core team and reached 14 at peak times. Even in the most difficult times of what was then K-Challenge, last winter, we kept working on the design despite the budget problems we encountered. We really believe in this boat and if we lose we will never use the budget problems we had as an excuse for our performance.

Valencia Sailing: How do you think FRA-93 compares to the new boats launched here in Valencia? Did you get any ideas from them?
Dimitri Nicolopoulos: During the design of the boat there were moments we thought we were doing something radical but when we saw a new boat on the water in Valencia we realized it wasn't so. Don't forget that the design of FRA-93 was more or less frozen when the new boats started arriving. We started working in the boatyard in late April but it was a good thing to see we were not the only ones to use a particular idea or concept although I doubt we would have changed anything at all.

Valencia Sailing: Obviously FRA-93 has been optimized for the conditions we have in Valencia.
Dimitri Nicolopoulos: Definitely, this is a boat for Valencia, although there are teams that believe you have to build a boat for races that start between 2pm and 3pm. We believe you need a boat for lighter winds in the first race and heavier at the second race, more versatile.

Valencia Sailing: Shorter term, when are going to see FRA-93 sailing for the first time?
Dimitri Nicolopoulos: Very soon!

A closeup look at the stern of FRA-93. Valencia, 24 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

A closeup look at the bow of FRA-93. Valencia, 24 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Dean Barker wins NZ Match Racing Championship

[Source: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron]

Brady versus Barker in the Finals

Brady versus Barker in the finals, you just have to say those two names together to know it’s going to be some fantastic racing.

Barker won the first match by 55 seconds and Brady came back to win race two by 14 seconds. Brady then took race three by 29 seconds and Barker in a match break point that ended in a close luffing match, contact right on the finish line, two penalties to Brady – and Barker took the win to level it up!

The finals were now down to the deciding – fifth race. Off the start it was clear Barker wanted the left and Brady the right, and at the top mark for the first time as the boats came together Barker was in front by almost 30 seconds. In the strong tide as Barker rounded the top mark he was propelled towards the bottom and went on to extend his lead and win race five by 54 seconds.

Barker – a hat trick – plus one!

This is the fourth time Dean Barker has won the New Zealand Match Racing Championships first in 1998 and then three times in a row, 2004, 2005 & now the hat trick 2006. He is the only skipper to win the illustrious title four times; the next skipper winning three times is Gavin Brady.

Petit Finals

Chris Dickson beat Adam Minoprio 2 – nil in the petit finals, Minoprio fought hard against the BMW Oracle’s helmsman in the mid range 14 – 18knots breeze, but Dickson showed his experience winning race one by 36 seconds & race two by 20 seconds.

Over the past four days young Minoprio proved he can race against the best and with a very mature head on his shoulders.

The winner of this event also receives an invitation to the Auckland Match Racing Cup, Grade 1 also held by the Squadron at the end of January 2007. Dean Barker is already a confirmed entry for this event. Chris Dickson and Gavin Brady are unable to attend as they will be training full-time on the AC boats, so the invitation was given to an elated Adam Minoprio and his Blackmatch racing team – who could hardly believe it when Commodore of the Squadron, John Crawford handed him the invitation at this afternoon’s prize giving. The 21 year old, who has sailed so maturely against this line up of New Zealand’s top match racing sailors, accepted the invitation – of course!

Confirmed skipper for the Auckland Match Racing Cup 2007
Mathieu Richard (France)
Dean Barker (Emirates Team New Zealand / RNZYS)
Ian Williams (GBR)
Eugeny Neugodnikov (Russia)
Adam Minoprio (Blackmatch / RNZYS)

Gavin Brady hits Dean Barker and receives a penalty on the finish line of Race Four. Auckland, 26 November 2006. Photo copyright Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

Dean Barker "went to the wall" in Race Five of the finals, a move that paid off. He won the race 54 seconds ahead of Gavin Brady. Auckland, 26 November 2006. Photo copyright Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

NZ Match Racing Championships: Dean Barker and Gavin Brady at the finals

[Source: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron] BMW Oracle’s Gavin Brady will face Emirates Team New Zealand’s Dean Barker in the first to win 3 final, which will begin at 1030am on the Waitemata Harbour on Sunday morning.

Brady, who was the top qualifier from the Round Robin Series, chose to sail the young star of the regatta, Adam Minoprio. Brady showed his experience and beat the 21 year old Minoprio 2–0 to confirm his place in the finals.

In the other semi final Chris Dickson, 3rd qualifier from the rounds was left to race Dean Barker who won all his races on Saturday to take the last semi final spot.

Dickson beat Barker by 14seconds in Race One and Barker won race two by 19seconds. In the final sudden death race, Barker split with Dickson off the start. Dickson headed towards the Westhaven Marina seawall and Barker out into the greater tide of the middle of the harbour. The crowd which had formed upstairs at the Squadron Clubrooms were getting closer and closer to the edge of the deck as the two boats converged on the top mark. Barker was in front at the first top mark rounding by 10 seconds meaning the middle of the harbour had paid off. At the bottom mark Barker’s lead had decreased slightly and as they rounded again Barker headed out into the harbour and Dickson to the wall. The crowd was now silent as the two teams split again and completed their finals tacks heading into the top mark for the last time. Barker again cleared Dickson and had extended his lead to take the race by 38 seconds.

Graeme Sutherland, who won last weeks qualifier series, finished strong taking 5th place overall for the regatta gaining another 2 wins today. In his final race of the regatta Sutherland beat Adam Minoprio by 7 seconds.

Laurie Jury who also came through from the qualifier series finishes 6th overall just 2 points behind Sutherland.

A big win for Phil Robertson, the youngest helmsman in the regatta, representing the Lion Foundation Youth Training Programme over Youth Programme graduate Simon Minoprio, their first win for the regatta.

Racing beings at 1030hrs on Sunday and there is fantastic viewing from the Westhaven Carpark and seawall.

Finalists
Dean Barker (Emirates Team New Zealand)
Gavin Brady (BMW Oracle)

Petit Finalists
Adam Minoprio (Blackmatch)
Chris Dickson (BMW Oracle)

Chris Dickson racing during Saturday's semifinals. Auckland, 25 November 2006. Photo copyright Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

Chris Dickson and Dean Barker racing during Saturday's semifinals. Auckland, 25 November 2006. Photo copyright Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

This boat will win the America's Cup in Valencia

At least this is what Stéphane KandlerChief Executive Officer of Areva Challenge

Click for more info, Dawn RileyGeneral Manager of Areva Challenge

Click for more info and Dimitri NicolopoulosDesign Coordinator of Areva Challenge

Click for more info claim. Who are they? Roll your mouse over their names and you'll find out. Full details on Saturday..

Yet another America's Cup yacht is about to be christened in Valencia, this time FRA-93 of Areva Challenge. Valencia, 24 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Yet another America's Cup yacht is christened in Valencia. Valencia, 24 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The hull of FRA-93 a couple of minutes after it was christened. Valencia, 24 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The hull of FRA-93 a couple of minutes after it was christened. Valencia, 24 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The hull of FRA-93 a couple of minutes after it was christened. Valencia, 24 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

A closer look at the bow of FRA-93. Valencia, 24 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Finally, a closer look at the stern of FRA-93. Valencia, 24 November 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing