-Training time in Auckland (11/27/01)  (source : Cheryl on 2003ac.com forum)

The next LVC is not so far away, with race one scheduled on 1st October 2002 and six of the eleven Syndicates (one Defender and ten Challengers) are already testing and training in Auckland. Now, nine boats are out and sailing around :

- two Team NZ (NZL-57 & NZL-60) ; - two GBR Challenge (GBR-44 & GBR-52, the former Nippon Challenge 2000) ; - two OneWorld Challenge (USA-51 & USA-55, the former America True and Stars & Stripes 2000) ; - one Victory Swedish Challenge (SWE-38, formerly known as Black Magic II 95) ; - two Alinghi (SUI-59 & SUI-64, the former BeHappy and the newly built IACC).

After his first outing, the new 2003 generation SUI-64 has swapped its conventional rig for a millennium rig. SUI-59 also has a millennium rig. Both rigs appear similar to the three spreader millennium rig on NZL-60 during the 2000 America’s Cup. For the two boats Syndicates, this is an intense period of training, with two full crews fighting hard against each other. There is still no sign of Victory Challenge’s new generation SWE-63 (Örn), who where damaged during its transport to Auckland. No sign of Oracle’s two boats. Oracle's USA-59 disappeared from view immediately after the keel drop and USA-61 disappeared from public view a couple of days later. Neither has re-appeared to date. Oracle crew members sailed out in their 4 Etchells and remained sailing around the area in front of the Viaduct Basin)

-Victory Challenge’s SWE-63 damaged (11/18/01)  (source : Cheryl on 2003ac.com forum)

Yesterday on RadioNZ Pete Montgomery reported that SWE-63’s deck had lifted from the hull. Apparently caused by its transport to Auckland in an unpressurised cargo hold on the Antonov aircraft. Nevertheless, the Swedish crew are not demobilized because SWE-38 (former NZL-38) is just arrived (by cargo) in Auckland, with Alinghi SUI-59 (old BeHappy), and is now sitting in its travel lift on the base forecourt, still painted black but with Victory Challenge’s sponsor logos.

-Road to the America's Cup (11/14/01)  (source : Cheryl on 2003ac.com forum)

According to a report from the Sunday Star Times despite an early consensus on the positives of the event, some of the challengers are expressing some concerns on TNZ's organization of the "Road to the America's Cup regatta". TNZ is known to be keen to race challengers – something which has been highly contentious in the past (in 1999, Nippon worked up against TNZ and Peter Gilmour was condemned by Dennis Conner and Paul Cayard), though not in terms of Road to the America’s Cup regattas. Both TNZ and challengers raced TNZ’s old Bruce Farr designs from the 1992 Cup in San Diego but these boats have been sold and TNZ is proposing a BYO affair (?) for next years regatta. Not all challengers will be in Auckland at the time of the regatta and some may not want to race either NZL57 or NZL60. Alinghi is said to have other concerns regarding the potential financial gain over the event. Executive Director Michel Bonnefous believes that an event organized by an independent party or at least involving the CORM would provide a more even distribution of "financial benefits." Prada is said to be "assesing whether the regatta fits into its training schedule." Bob Ratliffe, a spokesman for OneWorld, said the syndicate would be prepared to line up. “Certainly we may be willing to do a one-off race’” he said. “We have talked to them(TNZ). We have a good relationship and we would be happy to do something.” The regatta and the issue of whether any challenger should agree to race TNZ independently was discussed at an 13 October Corm meeting attended by representatives from all the challenging syndicates. It is understood the syndicates favoured allowing races against TNZ and each other in old boats but not in the race boats which will line up for next year’s challenger series. Syndicate lawyers will continue the discussions.

- Auckland update (11/06/01)   (source : NZHerald & NZHerald)

The first two America's Cup yachts to contest the Louis Vuitton challenger series arrived in Auckland yesterday on an Antonov plane as the campaigns to wrest the Auld Mug from Team New Zealand get into full swing. Sweden's Victory Challenge Örn (SWE 63) - the first time the Swedes have entered the cup since 1992 - and the Alinghi Swiss Challenge boat (SUI 64) landed in Auckland last night from Gothenburg Airport after stopovers in Kiev and Jakarta. Alinghi and Victory Challenge join American syndicates Oracle and One World, Italy's Prada, the Great Britain Challenge and Team New Zealand, who are already testing and training in Auckland. In the same time, Italian's Mascalzone Latino Challenge has leased headquarters in the Chancery development in Auckland's central business district. The second Italian entry in the cup will bring between 70 and 100 people here and occupy a 600 sq m office floor above Zarbo and across the road from the Ascott Metropolis apartment tower, where the crew and support staff will stay. Bill Ludbrook of Barfoot & Thompson Commercial said the area was being fitted out and would become the syndicate's private dining area, equipped with a kitchen and gymnasium.

- Swedes and Swiss latest challengers to arrive (11/02/01)   (source : stuff.co.nz & yacht.de)

Victory Challenge and Alinghi join American syndicates Oracle and One World, Italy's Prada, the Great Britain Challenge and Team New Zealand, who are already testing and training in Auckland. For both syndicates, most of the crew were in Auckland, waiting for their America's Cup boat to arrive. During the european summer, the Swedish and Swiss crew joint trained at the French resort of Sete, with NZL 38 (one of New Zealand's boats from 1995) for Victory and SUI-59 (former Pajot's Be-Happy) for Alinghi. Now, they continue together : while the two "old" IACC are on the way by cargo between Europe and her base in Auckland (they will arrive in 3 weeks), the two new America's Cup boats - SWE-63 and SUI-64 - are flying in the same Antonov.

- First photos of the new Viaduct Basin (10/25/01)   (source : th.martinez.com)
From Thierry Martinez website, four recent photos of the new Viaduct Basin in Auckland :

- First outings on the Hauraki Gulf (10/12/01)   (source : Justin on the 2003.com Forum)

The two Team New Zealand boats (NZL-57 & NZL-60) were out friday in a glorious, sunny, gentle, Northerly breeze, sort of 6-10 knots. Also, GBR 44 (former Idaten) was sailing around as well.