"The Spanish, I think, will be a tough team to beat", said New Zealand Alinghi's skipper Brad Butterworth.

Day after day, Desafío Español gives him reason establishing itself as one of the America's Cup "big guns".

First, the Spanish America's Cup challenger, presented a seventh sponsorship agreement and has now a budget of €51 million.

It's now the Ebro-Puleva group, Spain's largest agro-food business, which becomes "Patrocinador de bronce" and donates €2,5 million to the Team.

"Desafío Español has now achieved a balanced €51 million budget and could reach 57 million", said Agustín Zulueta during the official presentation. "The final goal is about 60/62 million".

Meanwhile, Saturday, April 29, will be a milestone for the campaign as ESP-88, the brand new boat of the Spanish challenger, will leave the King Marine boatyard in Alginet and head to the team's base in Port America's Cup.

Unlike most of the other America's Cup teams that chose to bring their new boats under absolute secrecy and with hardly any previous notice, the yacht will parade in part of the city's important thoroughfares before entering the boat shed in Port America's Cup.