Yachting News 5th July 2011

Jul 05, 2011 No Comments by skiff

Wild Days Rum Tours on Waiheke Island – more details here

more here

Greetings yachties,

In this issue:

Destopnews,

Team Korea,

TransAtlantic Race – where are they now?

Volvo Ocean Race 2008/09 – Episode 23, 24, 25, 26 & 27,

RC44 – Cagliari,

Extreme 40 – action with on-the-water anarchy,

Scuttlebutt USA – latest issue here,

Enjoy

Issued on behalf of Team Korea

The two greatest trophies in sailing were together on an extraordinary day in the history of the America’s Cup competition, as Team Korea, known locally as the White Tiger Challenge, celebrated its entry to this prestigious event, with a press briefing at the spectacular Seoul Marina on the mighty Han River in Seoul.

This was the first time that the Americas Cup trophy, the oldest trophy in international sports at 160 years old, had ever touched down on Korean soil, and it was similarly the first time that the magnificent Louis Vuitton Cup, first contested in 1983, had been to the country, presenting a rare and unique photo opportunity with the two together.

Welcoming media, celebrities and dignitaries to the briefing, the CEO of Team Korea, Kim Dong-Young said, “I am very proud to have helped create a new chapter for the sport and in the history of the America’s Cup by being involved with the first ever Korean Challenge. It has been a dream of more than 10 years for me, ever since I first saw the old America’s Cup yachts racing in New Zealand.” He continued, “It is simply amazing for us to have the America’s Cup and the Louis Vuitton Cup together here in Seoul, with so many distinguished guests on a day that the whole of Korea is proud of – we have truly joined the America’s Cup family now.”

Only fifteen nations have ever entered the America’s Cup contest in its history, and Team Korea is the only new entry of the nine teams and eight countries involved this time. A new AC World Series is due to begin next month sailing on new and exciting AC45 catamarans, before switching to the giant AC72’s ahead of the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America’s Cup events in San Francisco in 2013.

Russell Coutts, CEO of the ORACLE Racing team talked about his vision for the ‘New Cup’ and the radical changes he has helped implement since masterminding his fourth victory last year, “The America’s Cup is attracting interest from all around the world and I am especially proud to welcome Korea to the competition. Korea is the newest nation to challenge for the oldest trophy in international sport.” He continued, “The America’s Cup has been re-thought, re-engineered and re-booted. The best sailing competition in the world has been transformed into one of the best sporting competitions in the world. Korea’s challenge will therefore be to build a bridge from your country to California, and the rest of the world. I congratulate you in joining the other nations in this fantastic competition involving both sport and technology”.
more here