Unloading of BMW ORACLE Racing's America's Cup gear from Oceanlady in Valencia. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
by Jane Eagleson
The BMW ORACLE Racing team is opening the new year at full pace. In the early hours of Monday, its race boat arrived in Spain as the team completes its move from San Diego back to Valencia for the 33rd America's Cup Match next month.
Unloading of BMW ORACLE Racing's America's Cup gear from Oceanlady in Valencia. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
Monday morning, CEO Russell Coutts addressed the team at its Base in the Darsena, thanking everyone for their commitment to date and urging the team on through the final stretch.
Unloading of BMW ORACLE Racing's America's Cup gear from Oceanlady in Valencia. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
"It's important that today, with just over a month to go, we keep our focus tight and narrow in on what we have to do to win the Cup," he said. "I think we have assembled a really good team. We have a lot of expertise and skills in our group and we have to apply that over the next few weeks in the best way possible."
Unloading of BMW ORACLE Racing's America's Cup gear from Oceanlady in Valencia. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
Just hours earlier, the Oceanlady cargo ship arrived in the commericial port of Valencia after 20 days at sea, carrying the BOR90, the trimaran the team has built to challenge for the Cup.
Unloading of BMW ORACLE Racing's America's Cup gear from Oceanlady in Valencia. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
The Oceanlady transported approximately 200 tonnes of equipment from the team's training and development base in San Diego, including the BOR 90 trimaran, the main element of the wing sail, four custom made boxes containing the wing flaps, spare masts, 19 shipping containers, and 10 other boats (RIBs etc.).
Unloading of BMW ORACLE Racing's America's Cup gear from Oceanlady in Valencia. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
The ship was unloaded over the course of the day. With the BOR 90 trimaran, the wing sail and the other cargo now safe on shore, the trimaran and all of its components will undergo a thorough work-up by the shore team to ensure the boat is match fit before the Valencia training session begins.
Unloading of BMW ORACLE Racing's America's Cup gear from Oceanlady in Valencia. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
In the meantime, the sailing team has scheduled several days of multihull match-racing practice in the Extreme 40 catamarans beginning on Thursday.
Unloading of BMW ORACLE Racing's America's Cup gear from Oceanlady in Valencia. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
The first race of the 33rd America's Cup Match is scheduled for February 8.
BMW ORACLE Racing
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