A
pre-regatta on Lake Geneva ? (01/02/04) (source
: Le
Matin)
While the Swiss could run
the next AC in Lake Geneva (contrary to what many
believe, the Deed of Gift does not prohibit it), they
opted for Valencia where, among other things, the
breeze is steadier than the Swiss lakes.
If they can't organize the Cup in Lake Geneva, they
don't forget their roots and are now studying the
idea of running the third 2006 pre-regatta (between
April and July) in their homeland.
"Imagine America's Cup yacht sailing on the Lake
with mountains in the background", dreamed Michel
Bonnefous, CEO of AC Management.
An idea which could be the ideal way to thank the
Swiss for their support.
"We will do everything we can to make this event
possible in Geneva, in the Cradle of the Defender",
said Jean-Charles Magnin, director of Economic affairs
for the State of Geneva. "It is a wish for Ernesto
Bertarelli and for all of us. The major problem remains
to get the boats to Lake Geneva."
A prudence which was shared by Alec Tournier, General
manager of the Societe Nautique de Geneve.
"It's a very positive step but I'm not sure that
it's so easy to launch these boats weighing 24 tons",
he said. "We will have to use cranes and there
will be many practical problems."
"We are in the first steps of this project ",
Michel Bonnefous said, before added that it "requires
work and support".
