Desafio Español leaves the darkness (11/27/03)
 (source : Masmar.com)

After Valencia was appointed host for the 2007 America's Cup, the project of Desafio Español which Agustín Zulueta considered can be pushed under the limelight.

"We are now preparing a Spanish project and details will be revealed over the next few days", said Gerardo Pombo García, President of the Spanish Sailing Federation, who said in October that project is "suspended" until the Swiss have chosen the America's Cup venue.

The Spanish Challenge had a few small sponsorship deals but nothing major. But the name of the first of the major could be unveiled over the next few days.

"Valencia has worked hard to have this (America's Cup), now we have to work so that we can compete in it," said Agustin Zulueta, who has set himself a Christmas deadline to collect the 50 to 70 million euros they need to fund the Team.

 
 Pedro Campos opted for the Volvo Ocean Race (02/01/04)
 (source : Volvo Ocean Race)
Spain makes history today as Vigo, in the northwest region of Galicia, has been chosen to host the start of the Volvo Ocean Race on November 12, 2005.

But it continues tradition by also confirming that it will take part in the event by entering a team in the race, leaded by former America's Cup skipper Pedro Campos.

The major sponsor of the syndicate is Telefónica, the leading Spanish telecoms company, with additional funding coming from other companies and the Galician Government.
 
 Fernando León with the Spanish Challenge ? (10/06/03)
 (source : Masmar.com)
Skipper Fernando Leon, who won Olympic gold in the Tornado in 1996, and his professional Spanish crew (including Kiko Sanchez, who won a 470 gold medal at the Barcelona Games in 1992, and the prince of Spain Felipe de Borbon) seem to be very interested by the new Desafio Español.

"The crew of Cam is at the service of the club of Valence", Fernando Leon said today. "But we are also ready to take part in the project of Spanish challenge".

The IMS 50-footer Cam won several of the Med’s most prestigious regattas, including the last Trofeo SAR Infanta Cristina held in Tenerife and the 2001 Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship in Valencia.
 
 There will be a Desafio Español in 2007 (10/05/03)
 (sources : : Abc.es & Masmar.com)

"One of the yachts who will challenge Alinghi in the next Cup will be Spanish", said Agustín Zulueta, a former member of the Desafio Español and now Sports Director for Team Spirito Santo. "Our project is ambitious".

"We started to work in november 2002, a long time before Alinghi won the Cup", he said. "Our goal is to reach a €50 million budget, some is the next venue".

For this campaign the new Desafio was successful in attracting several partners, "including a famous sport clothing company" but is still looking for the main sponsor who would be ready to invest 30 or 40 million in the campaign.

To develop a new Team, the new Desafio Español wants to recruit the best of Spanish sailors, including the Doreste brothers (Luis and José Luis).

Members signed up to date include José Luis Doreste, Laureano Wizner and Dimanche Manrique. José Luis Doreste seems to hesitate, affirming that "many issues still remain to be negotiated".

A negotiation which will have to wait as Gerardo Pombo García, President of the Spanish Sailing Federation, today said that project is "suspended" until the Swiss have chosen the America's Cup venue.
 
 Juan Vila speaks in the Desafio debate (09/22/03)
 (source : Masmar.com)

Alinghi's new Spanish navigator Juan Vila can't afford to be outside the debates about the impact of a new Desafio Español for 2007 on Valencia's bid.

"Nothing makes it possible to say that the first decreases the chances of the second", Juan Vila said. "The two facts are totally unrelated and, for myself, I'm thinking a Spanish Syndicate would be rather positive".

"Don't forget that the purpose of AC Management shall be to realise the sporting and commercial potential of the Cup and to encourage worldwide growth and interest in the event", he added. "A Spanish campaign will surely attract even more public attention".
 
 Banco Espirito Santo strikes back (09/17/03)
 (source : Terra.com)
Spirito Santo Bank answered the charges made by Manuel Casanova, the Real Club Náutico de Valencia’s President about a maneuver to help Cascais.

"Everything is completely false", said Agustín Zulueta, Spirito Santo director of sport partnerships. "The studies were launched in October 2002, well before the Swiss victory in the America's Cup".

Agustín Zulueta was obviously surprised by the Casanova's allegations and pointed rightly that the Swiss never implied that the absence of local syndicate is an advantage.
 
 A Desafio Español perceived as inconvenient (09/11/03)
 (source : Ya.com)
"There should not be any Spanish Challenge", said Manuel Casanova, the Real Club Náutico de Valencia’s President. "One of the determining factors in Swiss' choice is to have broad popular support".

"The Swiss will hope to host it somewhere neutral and not give advantage to nations like France or Italy, who may themselves be competing", Mr Casanova said, being astonished that a Portuguese partner (the bank Espírito Santo) is evoked for the Spanish Syndicate.

Usual sponsor of the cnv's boats, Espírito Santo is now pointed as a kind of Trojan horse maneuver to help Cascais.
 
 Pedro Campos is always there (07/09/03)
 (source : Masmar.com)
Despite the Jose Luis Doreste's point of view (see above), Pedros Campos refuses to give up his skipper role on the Spanish boat.

"I have been contacted by several sponsors", he said."But we are now focused on securing the Valencia's bid and nothing should distract from this".

"There is an on-going project initiated by the bank Espirito Santo", Campos added. "The conditions on which all challenges will be accepted to compete will be announced by 15 december. Therefore, any news you may have heard are just rumours until this date".
 
 Time for a new Desafio Español ? (07/28/03)
 (source : Mundo Deportivo)
For Pedro Garcia, the Cascais Marina’s management director, an advantage that Lisbon/Cascais presents over the other four candidates is the fact that the Portuguese organization is able to "cherish Alinghi as the true home team, something that none of the other candidates can insure".

This fact comes from the possible presence of competing syndicates from Italy, France and now Spain will presumably have one competing contestant.

Jose Luis Doreste, a double Olympic champion, who is steering the new 46-footer Banco Spirito di Santo in the Copa del Rey, has exactly the opposite opinion.

"The Swiss are interested in syndicate coming from the Candidate Cities", he said. "We have now to build a new Spanish team with newcomers and without a leading role for Pedro Campos".

During the 2000 America's Cup, Campos was deposed as skipper of the Bravo España boat by the brother Doreste.
 
 Spanish Challenge call it quits (08/29/00)
 (source : Louis Vuitton)

With the formal announcement a couple of months ago of the retirement for the time being of the Japanese America’s Cup syndicate, news also comes of the same situation for the Spanish syndicate.

Both nations were new to the America’s Cup arena in 1992 and both nations made brave efforts to enter a world traditionally dominated by stronger sailing cultures. Although the Nippon Challenge made it to the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals on all three occasions, the Spanish had less success on the water.

Citing financial problems as the main reason for their withdrawal, it would be fair to add that there is currently no obvious successor to Pedro Campos to lead Spain to the next level of America’s Cup competition.