Spectacular boat parade to open 32nd America's Cup

Spectacular boat parade on April 14th to open the 32nd America's Cup

Valencia, 10th April 2007 - On Saturday 14th April, Port America's Cup will celebrate one of its most long-awaited moments, the official opening Boat Parade for the 32nd America's Cup. The final stages of the event will begin two days later with the first racing of the Louis Vuitton Cup. The winner will face Alinghi in the 32nd America's Cup Match starting on 23rd June.

The Boat Parade represents the true countdown to the America's Cup Match, a contest for the oldest sporting trophy in the world, held in Europe for the very first time since 1851.

The boats will sail along the Port America's Cup canal in a unique display of color, light, music and fireworks. Open to the general public, the presentation will last around 45 minutes.

The Boat Parade is scheduled to start at 21.30. The twelve 32nd America's Cup teams will individually make their way along the canal, one by one sailing in front of four enormous 50-metre monuments.

Each of these monuments symbolises one of the four elements: water (the event's stage), air (the wind powering the boats), earth (the universal character of the 32nd America's Cup - the most international event ever held) and fire (the heat of the battle and the fight for the Cup).

The 11 challengers will be the first to make their way down the canal. One of these teams will reach the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup and win the right to face Alinghi. The Defender will be last boat in the parade and will display the America's Cup on their bow.

Each boat will be accompanied by a spectacular firework display that has been specially designed with an individual light and sound choreography for the individual competing countries.

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