| The 32nd America's Cup takes a bite out of the 'big apple' |
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 Valencia, 14 June 2006 - The America's Cup trophy is returning to New York today, arriving business class after flying from Geneva (the home of the current Defender, the Société Nautique de Genève) via Spain (where Valencia is the current host city).The visit is a homecoming of sorts; New York was home to the 'Auld Mug' for 132 years. The boat that started it all, the America, was commissioned by a syndicate of New York Yacht Club members, who sailed across the Atlantic to win a race around the Isle of Wight. For that victory, they were presented with the trophy that we now call the America's Cup. From 1870 until 1920, the America's Cup was regularly staged in New York Harbor, and all the way up to 1983 the competition was dominated by the New York Yacht Club. Following Alinghi's victory in 2003, the America's Cup is returning to Europe and its 32nd edition is taking place in Valencia, Spain, with the final Match scheduled to begin just one year from now. To mark the occasion the current organisers of the America's Cup have arranged for the Cup itself, along with the Louis Vuitton Cup (presented to the winner of the challenger selection series), to tour the Big Apple and be on display at Rockefeller Center. The trophies will be available for public visits on Sunday 18 June (12:30 EST) and will ring the bell to open the trading day on the NASDAQ stock market on Friday. On Monday 19 June at 12:30 EST there will be a live video link-up between New Yorkers enjoying their lunch hour Midtown at the Rockefeller Center and the skipper of the current Defender of the Cup, Alinghi, along with past American winners and team members of the current American team, BMW ORACLE Racing. As part of the promotion in New York, an America's Cup exhibit will be on display at the Rockefeller Center in Manhattan from the 15 June to 3 July, including one of BMW ORACLE Racing's yachts, USA 49, along with a historical pavilion with information about the competition, remote-control replica race boats of the 12 teams competing in the 32nd America's Cup, and real-time racing footage, live from Valencia during Louis Vuitton Act 12, a match racing regatta, from the 22 June to 2 July. Related Items:
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