The 32nd Americas Cup arrives in Malmö-Skåne
by 32nd America’s Cup Press Office 15 Aug 2005 16:53 BST
The countdown to racing begins
The 32nd America's Cup arrived in Malmö in earnest over the weekend when the M/V Schippersgracht pulled alongside the dock with its cargo of America's Cup boats and equipment.
The ship docked on Saturday evening and unloading of the 2000 tonnes of equipment needed for the Malmö-Skåne Louis Vuitton Acts began on Sunday when the containers stacked on the 'weather' deck were removed.
On Monday morning attention turned to the 13 America's Cup Class boats which were being lifted one by one directly into the water. Shore crews from each team then towed the boats to their new homes at the team base compound for the Malmö-Skåne Louis Vuitton Acts.
"The operation has gone very smoothly," said René Holliger, the man responsible for logistics for the America's Cup organisers. "It's a tribute to the teams, the crew of the ship, and the stevedores on the dock that everything is running on schedule. Of course, we've been fortunate with the weather as well. Sunshine, and most importantly, light wind, makes the work much easier."
The teams are operating on a tight schedule to get their boats prepared as quickly as possible. Most of the sailors will be anxious to get on the water here, to get a feel for the local conditions, and sharpen up their crew work. The bigger teams could be sailing as early as Thursday afternoon, with the others likely taking to the sea over the weekend.
The M/V Schippersgracht departed Valencia last Sunday carrying 200 pieces of America's Cup cargo, including 86 RIBs and support boats, 70 shipping containers, 13 ACC boats (11 team boats, plus 2 hospitality and display boats), and over 20 masts. This totals nearly 2 000 tonnes of material, taking up 30 000 cubic metres - the equivalent of 12 Olympic size swimming pools.
Racing in the Malmö-Skåne Louis Vuitton Acts begins on the 25th of August with the match races of Act 6, followed by a three day fleet racing series (Act 7) starting on the 2nd of September. The 2005 racing season for the 32nd America's Cup concludes in Trapani, Sicily at the end of September.