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14 June 2005, 12:47 pm

The House Of The America's Cup Opens Three Days Ahead Of Racing

America's Cup 2007

Valencia, Spain

The House of the America's Cup was inaugurated in Valencia, Spain on Monday evening when Mayor of Valencia Rita BARBERÁ, and Louis Vuitton's Christine BELANGER presided over the opening ceremony with the CEO of the America's Cup organizers, Michel BONNEFOUS.

The ceremonial ribbon was cut by Rita BARBERÁ, who is also President of the Consorcio Valencia 2007, the body responsible for the city's involvement with the 32nd America's Cup.

The House of the America's Cup is a permanent, colourful, interactive exhibition that tells the story of more than 150 years of America's Cup racing. As an event rich in tradition and history, the America's Cup represents hundreds of interesting, compelling, and dramatic stories - the House of the America's Cup is where you can hear these tales. Using an innovative audio/video system featuring headphones that play the correct audio depending on which video screen you are standing in front of, the exhibition shows archived footage along with re-enactments of major Cup moments.

With the assistance of Louis Vuitton, which since 1983 has been an avid supporter of the America's Cup and a caretaker of its history, the House of the America's Cup will be open to the public year round, as the events in Valencia's Port America's Cup build over the next two years to the climax in July 2007.

'Since 1983, Louis Vuitton has taken its role with the America's Cup very seriously,' said Christine BELANGER, Director of Louis Vuitton for the America's Cup. 'We have been with the America's Cup in Newport, Fremantle, San Diego, Auckland, and now here in Valencia. This exhibition of the stories of the America's Cup is part of the rich legacy of the event that Louis Vuitton has helped to protect, preserve and promote. We're very proud that we can share it now with Valencia.'

The House of the America's Cup is located beside the famous 'Torre del Reloj' clocktower building at the Port. On the other side is the America's Cup Park, which will open on the first day of racing, 16 June, for the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts 4 & 5.

'The first America's Cup races of 2005 begin on Thursday, so this is a perfect time to inaugurate the House of the America's Cup,' explained BONNEFOUS. 'Since we came to Valencia, this has been a priority, as it is important for us to share the legends, the characters and the stories of the America's Cup, with the hosts of the 32nd edition.'

The House of the America's Cup will be open from 1100-2030 hours local time during the Louis Vuitton Acts. Outside of competition it will be open from 1000-2000.