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The 32nd America's Cup arrived
in Malmö in earnest over the weekend when the M/V
Schippersgracht pulled alongside the dock with its
cargo of America's Cup boats and equipment.
The ship docked on Saturday evening and unloading
of the 2000 tonnes of equipment needed for the Malmö-Skåne
Louis Vuitton Acts began on Sunday when the containers
stacked on the 'weather' deck were removed.
On Monday morning attention turned to the 13 America's
Cup Class boats which were being lifted one by one
directly into the water. Shore crews from each team
then towed the boats to their new homes at the team
base compound for the Malmö-Skåne Louis Vuitton
Acts.
"The operation has gone very smoothly," said René
Holliger, the man responsible for logistics for
the America's Cup organisers. "It's a tribute to
the teams, the crew of the ship, and the stevedores
on the dock that everything is running on schedule.
Of course, we've been fortunate with the weather
as well. Sunshine, and most importantly, light wind,
makes the work much easier."
The teams are operating on a tight schedule to get
their boats prepared as quickly as possible. Most
of the sailors will be anxious to get on the water
here, to get a feel for the local conditions, and
sharpen up their crew work.
The bigger teams could be sailing as early as Thursday
afternoon, with the others likely taking to the
sea over the weekend. The M/V Schippersgracht departed
Valencia last Sunday carrying 200 pieces of America's
Cup cargo, including 86 RIBs and support boats,
70 shipping containers, 13 ACC boats (11 team boats,
plus 2 hospitality and display boats), and over
20 masts.
This totals nearly 2 000 tonnes of material, taking
up 30 000 cubic metres – the equivalent of 12 Olympic
size swimming pools.
Racing in the Malmö-Skåne Louis Vuitton Acts begins
on the 25th of August with the match races of Act
6, followed by a three day fleet racing series (Act
7) starting on the 2nd of September.
The 2005 racing season for the 32nd America's Cup
concludes in Trapani, Sicily at the end of September.
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