The 2007 America’s Cup Regatta began here today. The 2003 winner Alinghi, from of all places Switzerland, defends the cup here. BMW Oracle, entry of Larry Ellison, of the Golden Gate Yacht Club and Oracle of Sacramento, has budgeted 200 million dollars to win this event. The Emirates team, New Zealand and the Luna Rosa Challenge, Italy are the other two big money spending challengers. We visited the site of the harbor where the boats are housed and tuned in ancient cathedral-like 18th century warehouses. Andy Green, the unsuccessful helmsman of an earlier New Zealand team is now a TV and media personality spoke to us after a lovely reception. He is broadcasting this Louis Vitton Cup in which the challengers race off in matches to decide who is the final challenger to race against Alinghi in the Americans cup, to be raced between June 23rd and July 7th.
He told us the history of the race and showed recent pictures of the pre-race skirmishes. Regent sponsored this meeting event about the races. It was held in the 1996 “City of the Arts and Sciences”, which buildings were designed by Santiago Calatrava, the world famous Valencian architect engineer. The main entertainment hall appears as a giant eye with lashes that open to the heavens. The long arching Hall of Sciences also runs along sparkling reflective water moats. Perhaps you have been to Redland in northern California where there is a bridge designed by Calatrava. Or, you may have been to Milwaukee and seen the museum Calatrava designed.
(The last picture is of another building-an aquariam)
No comments:
Post a Comment