Kiwis head home

BMW Oracle set up for (European) winter training in New Zealand

BMW Oracle Racing, Challenger of Record for the 32nd America’s Cup, will train in Auckland, New Zealand, during the European winter/New Zealand summer in final preparation for the Louis Vuitton Cup which starts in April 2007 in Valencia. The team’s main base of operations will remain in Valencia with only part of the team travelling to New Zealand for the winter sailing programme. The team will operate in Auckland from the Viaduct Harbour starting in November.

“For the final lead-up to the Louis Vuitton Cup, we sought a short-term training venue that offers summer conditions in the Valencia winter months,” said CEO and Skipper Chris Dickson. “With the existing infrastructure in Auckland and with about 50 percent of our team being New Zealanders, Auckland became the logical choice. Many of the team will enjoy some time with their families in New Zealand before we return to Valencia for the final preparations for the Louis Vuitton Cup in April,” Dickson said.

The team maintains an office in Auckland and many aspects of the BMW Oracle Racing technical programme also are based in New Zealand. The team’s masts are built at Southern Spars and many of the sails are built at North Sails, both in Auckland.

“We have many connections to New Zealand,” Dickson said. “New Zealand is a place we are all familiar with, making Auckland a comfortable location to operate from on a short-term basis,” Dickson said. “We looked at a variety of scenarios and while conditions are not an exact mirror of what we will see in Valencia, the Hauraki Gulf will provide our race crew the quality on-the-water time we need. We are looking forward to being back in New Zealand, seeing friends and family, and sailing on the Hauraki Gulf.”
The team will take the opportunity while in New Zealand to compete in the New Zealand Match Racing Championships in November hosted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

Following a two-week August summer break, an intensive two-boat testing and training programme is underway and continues in Valencia until departure for New Zealand.