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The Official
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'The operation has gone very smoothly,' said René HOLLIGER, the man responsible for logistics for the America's Cup organizers. 'It's a tribute to the teams, the crew of the ship, and the stevedores on the dock that everything is running on schedule. Of course, we've been fortunate with the weather as well. Sunshine, and most importantly, light wind, makes the work much easier.'
The teams are operating on a tight schedule to get their boats prepared as quickly as possible. Most of the sailors will be anxious to get on the water here, to get a feel for the local conditions, and sharpen up their crew work. The bigger teams could be sailing as early as Thursday afternoon, with the others likely taking to the sea over the weekend.
The M/V Schippersgracht departed Valencia last Sunday carrying 200 pieces of America's Cup cargo, including 86 RIBs and support boats, 70 shipping containers, 13 ACC boats (eleven team boats, plus two hospitality and display boats), and over 20 masts. This totals nearly 2,000 tonnes of material, taking up 30,000 cubic metres - the equivalent of twelve Olympic size swimming pools.
Racing in the Malmö-Skåne Louis Vuitton Acts begins on 25 August with the match races of Act 6, followed by a three day fleet racing series (Act 7) starting on 2 September. The 2005 racing season for the 32nd America's Cup concludes in Trapani, Sicily, Italy at the end of September.