Alinghi will launch a new Internet webcast program (broadcast video over the internet) during its current campaign called "Alinghi TV".

The concept will involve an Alinghi specific "TV Schedule", where Alinghi followers and sailing fans worldwide can tune in to watch shows on different aspects of Team Alinghi - from out on the water to life on shore.

"It will be presented just like a normal TV broadcast", explains Bernard Schopfer, Team Alinghi Director of Communications. "Those who miss the live version will be able to view the broadcasts as a replay."

For Acts 2 and 3 in Valencia, which begin October 5, Team Alinghi plans to pilot the concept with a race summary, analysis or interview each day following the racing, at 5:30 pm.

Just few days after finishing competing in Marseille, the AC teams are sailing again on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea. On-the-water training in Valencia started on Monday with K-Challenge, today followed by South Africa's Team Shosholoza.

It is expected that the Italian +39 Challenge will soon join the two others as the ITA 59 is ready for the crew to arrive Sep 24.

Alinghi, BMW Oracle Racing and Luna Rossa Challenge are in their bases at RCNV and have not yet begun training.

Emirates Team NZ' NZL 81 is expected to arrive in Valencia on Friday and to be sailing on October 1, four days before the regatta starts (NZL82 is on the wharf covered in tarpaulin).

Le Défi will be the last syndicate to move to Valencia, arriving just before the start of the Act 2 on Oct 4.

The Valencian newspaper Levante reported that the teams established in the new customs wharf are unhappy with the pontoons, their anchorage and the lack of water and electricity.

RCNV pontoons and wharves were ready by Sep 18 when Alinghi and Oracle returned to their existing bases but, when K-Challenge, Le Defi and Shosholoza sailed from the Dockwise ship to the newly extended Customs Wharf, they found the pontoons were not anchored, lacked the neccesary anchorage and moved laterally. Furthermore there was no water or electricity.

RCNV Commodore Pepe Marzal Marzal complained to the organising partnership, Valencia 2007, saying that they (RNCV), "have become the firemen of the sea, extinguishing the fire and removing their chestnuts from the fire".

According to rumors, some relational problems were arose between José Salinas, executive director of the "Valencia 2007" consortium, and AC Managament. Rita Barberá (the mayoress of Valencia) said earlier in the Week that the Salinas Demotion "will not be an obstacle".

Emirates Team New Zealand will race in the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts 2 and 3 of the 32nd America’s Cup. The participation of the team was confirmed today with the decision to fly NZL-81 from Auckland to Valencia, Spain to replace NZL-82, which suffered severe structural damage after Act 1 in Marseille.

After a strong third place performance in the opening act of the 32nd America’s Cup in Marseille early in September, Emirates Team New Zealand suffered a similar fate to Team Alinghi and the BMW Oracle Racing team, when it was blown over by a violent storm in Marseille.

All three boats suffered significant damage, but while the other two teams each have a second race yacht in Spain, Emirates Team New Zealand’s second boat was 26 000 miles away, in Auckland, New Zealand.

"After the storm in Marseille, we were all very concerned that Emirates Team New Zealand might not be able to race here in Valencia", said Michel Bonnefous, the CEO of AC Management. "All along, we’ve said that we would do whatever we could to help them, and we are extremely pleased to hear that NZL-81 will be on the starting line for the first race in Valencia".

"With Emirates Team New Zealand ready to race, and the two additional Italian teams making a total of eight, we expect the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts to be even more exciting than Marseille".

Following a week of meeting and overcoming logistical hurdles, Emirates Team New Zealand confirmed that NZL-81 was loaded into a British built Short Belfast turbo-prop cargo aircraft operated by Heavy Lift Cargo Airlines late on Monday night in Auckland, New Zealand (Pictures there).

The aircraft was scheduled to take off at 05:20 on Tuesday morning in Auckland.

"At times it looked like the team would not be able to compete in Acts 2 and 3 of America’s Cup 2007," said Grant Dalton, the Managing Director of Emirates Team New Zealand. "Without the assistance of America’s Cup Management (ACM) this would have been the case. Our team is fortunate to have the support and confidence of people, organisations and sponsors willing to assist when needed."

But arranging the flight was just the first of several issues that had to be resolved according to Dalton.

"Due to the yacht’s size, we anticipated that it would be difficult to load into the aircraft. It’s an extremely tight fit – there was only a 20mm margin on top and 100 mm in length – and the loading operation took 4.5 hours," Dalton explained.

"Our engineers did computer modelling based on NZL-81’s exact dimensions and those of the aircraft’s cargo hold. They were always confident of success, but I was on edge until they actually closed and locked the aircraft’s doors."

Ten Short Belfast aircraft were built for the Royal Air Force in the 1960s and most were retired in the late 1970s. Heavy Lift Airlines have maintained several for specific cargo missions.

NZL-81 is expected to arrive in Valencia late on Friday, after five fuel stops in Darwin, Singapore, Colombo, Dubai and Malta.

Grant Dalton said shore crew had worked long hours during the week in anticipation of the decision to fly. The yacht has been painted in its new livery but is not yet race ready. The shore crew will have to fit the keel, install electrical, electronic and hydraulic systems, winches and other deck hardware before the boat can sail.

The team will fly boatbuilders and specialists to Valencia tomorrow to meet the aircraft and ensure the yacht is race ready on schedule. Dalton says the shore team estimates that five days will be needed in Valencia to get the yacht ready to sail. NZL-81 is expected to be sailing on October 1, four days before the regatta starts.

The special transport ship the Dockwise Explorer left the port of Marseille on Wednesday evening with its cargo of seven America's Cup class yachts, 10 masts, 37 inflatable RIBs, and 27 containers. A total weight of 700 tonnes.

The trip from Marseille will take approximately 36 hours, and the Dockwise Explorer is expected to reach the port of Valencia on Friday morning.

At this time, Emirates Team New Zealand is still trying to confirm arrangements to fly NZL-81 up to Valencia to replace NZL-82. Full confirmation is expected by the end of the week.

In the meantime, the port of Valencia is readying for the arrival of the America's Cup fleet. The pier where the fleet will based for Acts 2 and 3 has been completed, with pontoons in the water, and travel lifts on shore, ready for use.

"The 32nd America's Cup started with a fantastic opening Act last week in Marseille", said Michel Bonnefous, the CEO of the AC Management. "Right now we are working with the teams to ensure the same thing happens with the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts beginning on October 5th".

For BMW Oracle, their current plan is to race their second boat, USA-71, in Valencia.

"Our other 2003-generation yacht, USA 71, is in Valencia and can be ready in time", said skipper and team CEO Chris Dickson. "We have two weeks of work to make 71 race-ready, but we will be on the starting line on 5th Oct".

Alinghi will also race in Valencia in October.

"At the moment our preferred option is to look at repairing SUI-64 over the next couple of weeks", said Grant Simmer, the co-Managing Director of Alinghi. "We'll make that decision once we're in the shed in Valencia".

"The other boat hasn't sailed since Auckland...and there are several issues relating to using that boat... But one way or another we'll be there on the starting line in Valencia".

The situation is more complicated for Emirates Team New Zealand. After an initial assessment, their NZL-82 appears to be damaged too much for a repair to be carried out in time for the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts.

But the team is currently making every effort to find a way to bring its other race boat, NZL-81, to Valencia in time to race. In this scenario, the boat would be flown as cargo from Auckland to Valencia.

The other three yachts (Le Défi's FRA 69, K-Challenge's FRA 57 and Shosholoza's RSA 48) were safe.

In addition to the six teams that raced in Marseille, two Italian teams will join the fleet in Valencia, the Luna Rossa Challenge, and +39.

As late as September 09, El Reto Challenge were saying the Spanish boats would be at Acts 2 and 3 ...