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20 March 2007, 03:59 pm

Official Presentation Of ideaArgo A Big Success

America's Cup

Last Saturday in Angra dos Reis, Brazil, Lars GRAEL won the Campionato Bralisiano di Vela Oceanica. Victory by this famous Brazilian champion could have not been better timing for ideaArgo, as it came just days after the official confirmation of GRAEL's participation in the project that will take, in 2010, an international team of disabled sailors to the 33rd America's Cup.

The official presentation of project ideaArgo took place on 14 March in Torino, and its success went well beyond the most optimistic expectations. Chaired by Luca BONTEMPELLI, a well-known sailing journalist and hosted by Sergio CHIAMPARINO, Mayor of Torino, the press conference sparked many emotions thanks also to the presence of Lars GRAEL.

Whilst BONTEMPELLI defined the project as 'ideaArgo, neat madness', CHIAMPARINO emphasized the passion: 'I do suffer from sea-sickness, but will do everything possible with the authority of the city I represent...even though I cannot think of where we will build the port!!!!'

GRAEL, a double Olympic medallist who has returned to victory after an accident that looked like stopping his career forever, clearly laid out the ultimate goal: 'What yesterday looked like a dream, today we start making it for real….We go to the America's Cup to win it'.

'The big interest and the unanimous agreement that ideaArgo has gathered and consolidated in these last few days, from national and international media, represent an encouraging starting point. This is a valuable prize for the diligent, serious and humble work carried out to date. It is in this manner that we will progress in our project, faithful to our motto: We can, you can' declared a very happy Antonio SPINELLI, president of ideaArgo.

ideaArgo Media (As Amended by ISAF)