It feels like 2005 again, when the 32nd America’s Cup challengers were slowly occupying their brand new bases in Port America’s Cup in Valencia. The only difference this time is that with the new format the 34th edition has, there won’t be as many teams choosing one of the Valencia bases as their permanent home. In fact, there is just one right now, Artemis Racing.
The Swedish challenger has moved into the base formerly occupied by Areva Challenge and its shore crew is already busy. When we visited the base on Friday morning (Valencia time) there was just one door half open, so it wasn’t possible to verify what was going on inside. However, thanks to reliable information we received, the shore crew is currently building various daggerboards that will be tested on the team’s Tornado catamaran.
This move into a base is also a clear sign that the Swedish team, bankrolled by Torbjorn Tornqvist and led by Paul Cayard, is by far the most prepared and active of all the, now, six challengers in the 34th America’s Cup. In fact, just across the street from the base, Juan Kouyoumdjian and his team are already working on the design of the new AC72 boat while a few miles further down the road, in the yacht club, lie the Tornado catamarans used for test purposes.
The former Areva Challenge base, now home of Artemis Racing. Valencia, 4 February 2011. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Not much to be seen, but according to reliable information the Artemis shore crew is building test daggerboards for the team. Valencia, 4 February 2011. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Fonte: VSail.info
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