No time for siestas

May 22, 2007

Firstly, thanks to all you new visitors to the blog – yesterday was a record day, with well over two thousand. Thanks for tuning in! :D Here is the RSS feed, and a list of good RSS readers to stay connected.

Update: the blog made it onto the Top Blogs list on WordPress for 22nd May! Number 48

Don’t you just love lay days.

After all the drama of yesterday which saw BMW Oracle Racing eliminated, Luna Rossa advance to the final, Desafaio Espanol beat Team New Zealand and Chris Dickson booted off his boat we definitely needed a day off. 

We both indulged in long, lazy Spanish lunches. For around $15 you get bread and salad, a main, a dessert and coffee. It is great but really makes you feel like a little siesta.

However no time for that…

While Dickson was the biggest story yesterday, it was great to see how excited Luna Rossa were at making the final. Competing in his third campaign Luna Rossa skipper Francesco de Angelis is really good to listen to. When he is asked a question, he pauses thinks about it and gives a meaningful answer. Luna Rossa are going along nicely.

It was also good to see Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker front up to the media again after his team lost. A few of their gybes were a little shabby in their last match so they’ll be looking to brush up on those.

The America’s Cup Port quiet was extremely quiet yesterday. It is hard to believe that a month or so ago there were 11 challengers now we are left with just three. By tonight we could be left with just two.

In other news TEAMORIGIN, Britain’s bid to enter the 33rd America’s Cup have announced their intention to purchase its first America’s Cup Class training boat – SUI 75 – the training and testing boat used by Alinghi. TEAMORIGIN plans to re-brand SUI 75 and it will later become GBR 75. It will be re-assembled and commissioned in Valencia and undergo a short test sail shortly after the end of the 32nd America’s Cup in July 2007.

6 Comments | America's Cup Teams, Americas Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand, Food, Luna Rossa, Sailing, Spain, Sports, Valencia, Weather, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by peterlester

Eating Italian ahead of Luna Ross clash

May 8, 2007

We felt a little bit guilty eating Italian the night before Team New Zealand’s much-anticipated clash with Luna Rossa.

We didn’t want to jinx Team New Zealand or anything.

But we need not have worried.

Team New Zealand won by 36 seconds.

Dean Barker won the start against the highly rated James Spithill which was good. The win was set up by a good start. Team New Zealand didn’t make any mistakes. In the 13 knot sea breeze the New Zealand boat looked quick. They looked comfortable against Luna Rossa. Once they got in the lead it was unlikely they were completely hammer down. Maybe it will silence some of the critics of Dean.

Bring on BMW Oracle Racing.  

2 Comments | America's Cup Teams, Americas Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand, Food, Luna Rossa, Oracle BMW Racing, Sailing, Spain, Sports, Valencia, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by peterlester

Weather’s nice but where’s the beer?

April 30, 2007

 Updated: Audio interview – looking back over Round Robin 1

Harold Bennett

Harold Bennett – Head Race Officer – Photo from http://www.challengercommission.com 

Well it was another wobbly day in Valencia. Three races took place on the northern course while two were postponed on the southern course.

Of course, Team New Zealand were on the south course so their hitout against Mascalzone Latino was postponed.

Sensitive, new age Kiwi Harold Bennett (hee hee) was the head race officer on the south course and was seen zooming all over the show looking for wind.

It was joked that a tracker should be put on Harolds boat so we could keep on eye on him on virtual spectator – he was last seen heading for Ibiza.

Team New Zealand’s race against Mascalzone will now take place after flight two today.

Mascalzone Latino beat Team New Zealand in the first race of the Louis Vuitton Cup so the Kiwis will be out for revenge.

The weather in Valencia is still quite cool. It will be really nice when it warms up, it will also be really nice when the wind blows, otherwise Harold is going to wear out his boat.

However the most disturbing news to come out of Valencia today was that the scaffolding bar —- our local pub across the road from the port which ACM have used scaffolding to hang a ginormous coca cola banner, has run out of beer.

That’s it we are coming home.

2 Comments | America's Cup Teams, Americas Cup, Beer, Emirates Team New Zealand, Food, Sailing, Spain, Sports, Valencia, Weather, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by peterlester

Not much racing, but the food’s cheap!

April 24, 2007

By Julie Ash and Peter Lester
Well, racing has been cancelled again in the Louis Vuitton Cup.

So often have we written that sentence lately that most have us have now got it saved in our “copy and paste” files.

While the boys on the boats are entertaining themselves by telling stories, playing cards and chess, or if you are the Swedes ping pong some of the media have been able to get out and experience some of the local cuisine.

While there are plenty of posh places around the port to dine in there are also plenty of cheap and cheerfuls where around $13 New Zealand will get you a four course meal. We hear you start off with bread salad or soup, move onto spaghetti before progressing to lamb cutlets or fish and then finish with chocolate or caramel pudding.

Not that we have experienced it of course. We have more pressing issues.  The electrical wiring in some of our apartments leaves a lot to be desired for. In ours we have to coordinate the use of the jug, the toaster and the hair dryer. The use of two appliances together tends to result in a fuse blowing. Handy that.

Tomorrow is expected to be another windless day so tune in and we might just divulge what we have for breakfast.

2 Comments | Americas Cup, Food, Sailing, Spain, Sports, Valencia, Weather, Yachting | Permalink
Posted by peterlester

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