After an absence of several months, USA-87 of BMW Oracle, reappeared this morning in front of the team’s base in Port America’s Cup. Together with her new sistership USA-98 this was one of the most anticipated appearances given the fact BMW Oracle is after all the Challenger of Record.

The most obvious change, even for an untrained eye, is the disappearance of the bowsprit. Ironically, USA-87 was the first yacht in the 32nd America’s Cup to incorporate such an element in its design and was then followed by Alinghi who tried it on both SUI-64 and SUI-91 as well Shosholoza on RSA-83 and finally China Team on CHN-95. Apparently, BMW Oracle’s design team has concluded it was not a feature worth keeping in the boat.

What hasn’t changed though was the jumperless mast.

Note: We write about USA-87 because it is the yacht that came out of the boat shed numbered 87 and we assume BMW Oracle keep their boats in the corresponding sheds. If now it turns out it actually was USA-98, then we hope they don’t race with the wrong yacht and get eliminated in the first round of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

USA-87 of BMW Oracle back on the water after several months. Valencia, 28 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

USA-87 of BMW Oracle back on the water after several months. Valencia, 28 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

USA-87 of BMW Oracle back on the water after several months. Valencia, 28 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

USA-87 of BMW Oracle back on the water after several months. Valencia, 28 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

USA-87 of BMW Oracle back on the water after several months. Valencia, 28 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

In all photos there is a clearly visible difference in the glare below and above a line on the bow. We tried to draw it on this picture. Could this be the possible cut line of the new bow? This difference was first noticed by user “Huevos Rancheros”. Valencia, 28 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Considering that the sailnumber of the first boat to be built for the 32nd America’s Cup in Valencia was 83 and that after almost two years numbering has reached 100, ITA-85 was one of the first new-generation boats designed and built for this edition of the sailing competition.

ITA-85 is the yacht the Italian team +39 Challenge will rely upon to battle in the Louis Vuitton Cup. She hasn’t been used in any official racing and the team has only raced since 2004 on the older ITA-59. Italian designer Giovanni Cecarelli started working on ITA-85 at the beginning of 2004 and construction started in the middle of 2005. The hull arrived in Valencia in June 2006 and she was officially presented at the end of that month. Nevertheless, the boat wasn’t yet ready for sailing and after being fitted out she was launched last October, making her maiden voyage on the 27th.

Since that day, the Italian challenger has been regularly training in Valencia, hoping to be able to reach thier goal of 4th position in the Louis Vuitton Cup, an admittedly enviable rank, coveted by at least a handful of challengers.

ITA-85 being towed out of Port America’s Cup. Valencia, 27 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

ITA-85 being towed out of Port America’s Cup. Valencia, 27 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

ITA-85 being towed out of Port America’s Cup. Valencia, 27 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

ITA-85 of +39 Challenge during her first test sails. Valencia, 22 October 2006. Photo copyright +39 Challenge

With the return of BMW Oracle and Emirates Team NZ to Valencia during the last weekend and the imminent reappearance of their boats, we will run a series of articles and photos on the pretenders to the throne, that is the Louis Vuitton Cup and, of course, the America’s Cup.

The America’s Cup rules do not oblige teams to build brand new boats for this edition of the event in Valencia. The only constraints on teams were to participate with a yacht built in their country of origin and modified to the newer version of rules, called Version 5. Nevertheless, all of them have built either one or two new yachts after the end of the previous edition in Auckland.

In addition, some of the first generation of newly-built boats have undergone substantial modification, often less than a year after their initial launch. As a prelude, we publish comparison photos of the two boats where the modifications are more evident, Luna Rossa’s ITA-86 and Shosholoza’s RSA-83.

Luna Rossa ITA-86
Luna Rossa’s ITA-86 being towed out of Port America’s Cup. Valencia, 20 April 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Luna Rossa’s ITA-86 being towed out of Port America’s Cup. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Shosholoza RSA-83
Shosholoza’s RSA-83 being towed out of Port America’s Cup. Valencia, 13 June 2006. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Shosholoza’s RSA-83 being towed out of Port America’s Cup. Valencia, 28 January 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Time flies and a mere fifty days are left till the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup and all teams present here in Valencia are taking advantage of each and every second available to train, test and optimize their boats. Given the prevailing wind patterns in January and February this might even translate into launching the boats at dawn or even before daylight.

Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team launching their boat at dawn, starting a day of intensive training in Valencia. Photo copyright Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team

Areva Challenge launching FRA-93 at dawn, starting a day of intensive training in Valencia. Photo copyright Franck Socha / Areva Challenge

No, this is not a miner sweating in the depths of a mining tunnel but a crew member of Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team preparing the boat for launch in Valencia at 7am. Photo copyright Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team

After a two-day trip aboard the enormous Antonov cargo plane, NZL-84 and NZL-92, the two latest-generation yachts of Emirates Team New Zealand, arrived this morning in Valencia. At around 1pm the two boats that could eventually win the 32nd America’s Cup arrived in their base at Port America’s Cup and were tucked inside the team’s boatshed, away from indiscreet eyes. Valencia Sailing was there to welcome and greet the two high-tech hulls.

Emirates Team NZ will try to win the Louis Vuitton Cup and, probably, the America’s Cup with two boats in its amunition, NZL-84 and NZL-92.

NZL-84 was built in Auckland in 2005 and first launched there, just before Christmas of that year. At the beginning of 2006 she was transported to Valencia and relaunched in mid April. The kiwi America’s Cup challenger raced with this boat during the whole 2006 season, finishing third in both Louis Vuitton Acts 10 and 11 and first in Louis Vuitton Act 12, where they clearly outperformed all other 11 teams, losing just 2 races out of 17. After the end of the northern hemisphere summer and racing activity in Valencia she was once again shipped back to Auckland where she was used during the team’s two-boat training sessions, together with NZL-92

NZL-92 hasn’t been used in official racing yet and in fact this is her maiden trip to Valencia. She was built in 2006 and launched in Auckland on October 19. Since that day, together with her older sisterhip NZL-84 they have been training extensively in the Hauraki gulf, spending six or more hours on the water, five or six days a week. Around ten days ago, the team finished their winter training in New Zealand and both yachts were flown to Valencia, arriving today morning.

According to the team, the shore crew will now prepare the two boats for sailing and the New Zealanders will resume their training on March 5, this time of course off Valencia’s coast.

NZL-84 and NZL-92 about to enter the Emirates Team New Zealand base. Their identity is unclear to us, although it seems that NZL-92 is on the left and NZL-84 on the right. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

We haven’t been able to unequivocally identify the two hulls and in order to avoid errors we will refer to them as Boat 1 and Boat 2, according to the order in which they entered the base.

Boat 1Judging from the form of her bow it is NZL-84, but again, we have no unequivocal proof.

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Boat 2This must be NZL-92, but again, we have no unequivocal proof.

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

After a two-day trip aboard the enormous Antonov cargo plane, NZL-84 and NZL-92, the two latest-generation yachts of Emirates Team New Zealand, arrived this morning in Valencia. At around 1pm the two boats that could eventually win the 32nd America’s Cup arrived in their base at Port America’s Cup and were tucked inside the team’s boatshed, away from indiscreet eyes. Valencia Sailing was there to welcome and greet the two high-tech hulls.

Emirates Team NZ will try to win the Louis Vuitton Cup and, probably, the America’s Cup with two boats in its amunition, NZL-84 and NZL-92.

NZL-84 was built in Auckland in 2005 and first launched there, just before Christmas of that year. At the beginning of 2006 she was transported to Valencia and relaunched in mid April. The kiwi America’s Cup challenger raced with this boat during the whole 2006 season, finishing third in both Louis Vuitton Acts 10 and 11 and first in Louis Vuitton Act 12, where they clearly outperformed all other 11 teams, losing just 2 races out of 17. After the end of the northern hemisphere summer and racing activity in Valencia she was once again shipped back to Auckland where she was used during the team’s two-boat training sessions, together with NZL-92

NZL-92 hasn’t been used in official racing yet and in fact this is her maiden trip to Valencia. She was built in 2006 and launched in Auckland on October 19. Since that day, together with her older sisterhip NZL-84 they have been training extensively in the Hauraki gulf, spending six or more hours on the water, five or six days a week. Around ten days ago, the team finished their winter training in New Zealand and both yachts were flown to Valencia, arriving today morning.

According to the team, the shore crew will now prepare the two boats for sailing and the New Zealanders will resume their training on March 5, this time of course off Valencia’s coast.

NZL-84 and NZL-92 about to enter the Emirates Team New Zealand base. Their identity is unclear to us, although it seems that NZL-92 is on the left and NZL-84 on the right. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

We haven’t been able to unequivocally identify the two hulls and in order to avoid errors we will refer to them as Boat 1 and Boat 2, according to the order in which they entered the base.

Boat 1Judging from the form of her bow it is NZL-84, but again, we have no unequivocal proof.

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Boat 2This must be NZL-92, but again, we have no unequivocal proof.

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Emirates Team NZ boat. Valencia, 24 February 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

[Source: BMW Oracle] BMW ORACLE Racing‘s new race yacht, USA 98 arrived to Valencia by Antonov cargo plane from Auckland, following conclusion of the team’s New Zealand winter training session.

The shore team greeted the plane at the Valencia airport to unload two masts, two keel bulbs, sails, a chase boat and the new America’s Cup Class race yacht for trucking to the team base in the Port America’s Cup.

The focus is now on final preparations for the Louis Vuitton Cup, the Challenger Selection Series for the 32nd America’s Cup, starting here 16th of April. BMW ORACLE Racing will continue its sailing programme in Valencia starting in early March with USA 87 and USA 98. The New Zealand winter training session was deemed successful, paving the way for the final ramp-up to competition in Valencia.

“Our time in New Zealand exceeded our expectations on all fronts,” Chris Dickson, CEO and Skipper of BMW ORACLE Racing said. “We sailed in a full range of conditions which gave us the chance to fully sea trial USA 98 with new rigs, sails and appendage packages. While it is still early days with USA 98, we are all pleased with the performance to date. Even more importantly, our in-house racing programme has the crew closer to being ready for the Louis Vuitton Cup now less than two months way,” Dickson said.

USA-98 being offloaded the Antonov cargo plane. Valencia, 23 February 2007. Photo copyright BMW Oracle Blog

[Source: BMW Oracle] BMW ORACLE Racing‘s new race yacht, USA 98 arrived to Valencia by Antonov cargo plane from Auckland, following conclusion of the team’s New Zealand winter training session.

The shore team greeted the plane at the Valencia airport to unload two masts, two keel bulbs, sails, a chase boat and the new America’s Cup Class race yacht for trucking to the team base in the Port America’s Cup.

The focus is now on final preparations for the Louis Vuitton Cup, the Challenger Selection Series for the 32nd America’s Cup, starting here 16th of April. BMW ORACLE Racing will continue its sailing programme in Valencia starting in early March with USA 87 and USA 98. The New Zealand winter training session was deemed successful, paving the way for the final ramp-up to competition in Valencia.

“Our time in New Zealand exceeded our expectations on all fronts,” Chris Dickson, CEO and Skipper of BMW ORACLE Racing said. “We sailed in a full range of conditions which gave us the chance to fully sea trial USA 98 with new rigs, sails and appendage packages. While it is still early days with USA 98, we are all pleased with the performance to date. Even more importantly, our in-house racing programme has the crew closer to being ready for the Louis Vuitton Cup now less than two months way,” Dickson said.

USA-98 being offloaded the Antonov cargo plane. Valencia, 23 February 2007. Photo copyright BMW Oracle Blog