|
|
Bidders
queue to host 2007 Cup (08/21/03)
(source
: Australian
Financial Review) |
The
five venues competing to host the 2007 America's Cup
completed auditions on Thursday to host the historic
return of yachting's most prestigious trophy to Europe,
amid signs that the winner might have to be ready
next year.
The seaside European cities shortlisted by the Swiss
syndicate and this year's America's Cup winners Alinghi
are Lisbon, Portugal; Marseille, France; Naples, Italy;
Palma de Mallorca and Valencia in Spain.
Alinghi's victory against Team New Zealand brought
the Cup back to Europe for the first time in 156 years,
but the unprecedented win by a yacht from a landlocked
nation prompted the unusual search for a host port
for the next challenge.
The AC Management company set up by Alinghi declined
to comment on the presentations over the past two
days, which are only a small part of the selection
process according to AC spokesman Marcus Hutchinson.
The delegation from Lisbon said after its hearing
on Wednesday that the organisers might be forced to
make a choice before their previously announced deadline
of December 15, 2003.
Patrick Monteiro de Barros, president of the Lisbon
organising committee, told the Portuguese news agency
Lusa that AC management wanted to run a demonstration
race in 2004. De Barros said he had highlighted the
Portuguese government's attempts to revamp the docks
in Cascais, a former Atlantic fishing port about 30km
from Lisbon which would be the base for the competing
syndicates.
The last candidate to appear, the Spanish city of
Valencia, said today it was offering steady winds
and a complete package covering "weather conditions,
the race area and the venue" to host the 2007 Americas
Cup.
"The wind conditions in Valencia are very good, very
stable, they are very constant and that is probably
one of the best assets that we have," said Jose Salinas,
executive director of the "Valencia 2007" bid. "It
will allow the competition to run pretty well without
any problem," he told AFP.
The 2003 Americas Cup run off Auckland, New Zealand
was dogged by unsteady wind conditions, prompting
the postponment of some races.
Salinas said the 2007 regatta could be run on the
Mediterranean just to the north or south of Valencia,
and the city's port would be "reasonably available"
as a base during 2004.
Marseille mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin said he thought
he had "scored points" during the French city's audition
on Wednesday and had sought to dispel "rumours" about
wind conditions in the northern Mediterranean.
"The rumours were becoming a problem, while the wealth
of Marseille's winds are in fact a strength," he said.
Gaudin said he had also sought to allay the Swiss
organiser's fears about social conditions and possible
strikes in France's second largest city. |
| |
All
candidate cities submit their answer at time (06/10/03)
(sources
: Yahoo.it
& Les
Echos) |
On
the 12th of July, AC Management announced that after
extensive consideration, they had reduced the original
list of 8 potential host cities to 5 who were asked
80 questions concerning differents subjects (local
weather, outline plans for the hosting arrangements
and infrastructure, logistical facilities...).
All five candidate cities have submitted their answer
dossier at time. The official deadline for the ACM
to receive all the documents was Thursday 31 July.
Now, a series of hearings to be organised for August
20 in Geneva will give all five applicant Cities the
opportunity to meet with the ACM administration and
give additional informations. |
| |
Ernesto
Bertarelli's first official visit to Naples (07/10/03)
(source
: Yahoo.it) |
Alinghi
President and navigator Ernesto Bertarelli arrived
in Naples today on his first official visit to Italy
since their all-dominant Cup performance in Auckland.
Coming to examine the Naples's bid, he met with Rosa
Russo Iervolino and Antonio Bassolino (Mayor of Naples
and President of the Campania Region respectively)
and visited Bagnoli, the place where the cup could
be contest.
Bertarelli then flew by helicopter to Pozzuoli Gulf
and visited the historical Downtown Naples. |
| |
Italian
Government suggest a co-hosted Cup (07/06/03)
(source
:
Yahoo.it) |
"It
is obvious that the Italian government will support
Naples as it is the only Italian base remaining",
Italian Transport Minister Pietro Lunardi said to
journalists at the end of the informal EU transport
ministers council.
"I hope that Naples will not be the only site
but that others will be chosen", he added. "Because
the Mediterranean is a closed sea and thus it is not
impossible for their to be more than one base for
the next America's Cup." |
| |
Government
presents plan to Marseille's bid (07/04/03)
(source
:
Yahoo.fr) |
Jean-François
Lamour, France's Minister for Sports will present
a plan tomorrow to support Marseille's bid for the
next America's Cup.
A ministerial interdepartmental commission will oversee
the implementation of the programme as a whole and
the French Government will set out a full list of
actions (improving the security, quality of the infrastructures,
administrative procedures...). |
America's
Cup meeting summit in Rome (06/28/03)
(source
:
Yahoo.it) |
The
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi held today
a meeting in Rome with Rosa Russo Iervolino et Antonio
Bassolino, Mayor of Naples and President of the Campania
Region respectively, to discuss the AC Italian strategy
to convince the Swiss.
Not many things were unveiled about the meeting but
Bassolino said Berlusconi is "fully available"
to back Naples' bid. |
| |
Carlo
Ciampi backs
Naples' America's Cup bid (06/23/03)
(source
:
AGI) |
After a ceremony held in Naples to celebrate the national
holiday for firemen, the President of the Italian
Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, and the Interior Minister,
Giuseppe Pisanu, went together to the Naples Police
Station where they spent a half hour with prefect
Renato Profili.
Before leaving, President Ciampi assured Neapolitans
of his personal interest in support of Naples being
the host of the next edition of the America's Cup.
"I have committed myself and let's hope that Naples
responds well", Ciampi said. |
| |
Naples
in Geneva to defend its bid (06/18/03)
(source
:
Yahoo.it) |
A
meeting was held today in Geneva beetween ACM and
the Italian representatives (City of Naples and Campania
Region) on examining the Naples bid for the next America's
Cup.
The Italian City send up four delegates in Switzerland
who have, among other things, examine the Cup holder
demands.
For obvious reasons these discussions are confidential
but, at this stage, the key point seems to be the
displacements in the metropolitan area. |
| |
AC
Management Narrows List to Five (06/12/03)
(source
:
AC
Management) |
With
the objective of choosing the venue and host city
for the 32nd America's Cup, AC Management retained
eight European venues in March this year. At the time
the eight were each requested to supply in-depth technical
information to facilitate AC Management's task in
making the best choice of venue for the next event
of the world's oldest sporting trophy, the America's
Cup.
In particular, the eight cities were asked questions
concerning specific local weather patterns, outline
plans for the hosting arrangements as well as details
of their initial thoughts on the likely infrastructure
and logistical facilities.
Over the past ten weeks, this unique search for a
European venue suited to hosting an event as important
as the America's Cup has required extensive studies
and on-site visits.
"I have followed the process carefully," says Pierre-Yves
Firmenich, Commodore of the Société Nautique de Genève,
"and each of the eight candidates presented outstanding
bids. It has obviously been extremely difficult to
make the choice. However, ultimately, only one venue
can be chosen and so it is now time to publish a shortlist."
The Swiss America's Cup holders have dropped Barcelona
and two Italian centres (Porto Cervo and Elba) from
their list and then, the remaining venues are Lisbon
(POR), Marseille (FRA), Naples (ITA), Palma de Mallorca
(ESP), Valencia (ESP).
"With this shortlist we have refined our goals considerably
and will now work closely with each of the remaining
venues through the next crucial steps in the process",
Michel Bonnefous, CEO of AC Management commented.
"Over the coming months, we will be concentrating
on the more precise details for hosting the America's
Cup. We need to understand clearly the minutiae of
every positive and negative element associated with
each venue. It is probable that the next announcement
in this process will be the identity of the final
choice."
As defined in the America's Cup Protocol, this announcement
will be made on or before December 15, 2003. |
| |
Marseille
"stabbed in the back" (06/06/03)
(source
:Yahoo.fr) |
This
week unionists throughout France continued demonstrations,
protests and strikes to oppose the government’s public
sector pension reforms and, in Marseille, thousands
of tonnes of uncollected rubbish piled up along the
streets as street cleaners and refuse collectors joined
the strike.
"Whereas the rubbish is pilled up along the streets
of the city, in a conflict that does not related to
the town hall, some unionists do not even realize
that they are stabbing us in the back for the America's
Cup", said the city's mayor, Jean-Claude Gaudin.
The strike comes at a critical time as the eight candidates
will be narrowed to four (?) on Thursday 12 June 2003. |
|
