America's Cup backs Team NZ's return

1.00pm

Organisers of the America's Cup are delighted that Team New Zealand will be racing in Valencia next month.

It was thought the team would not be racing in the Valencia regatta after a freak storm in France damaged NZL82.

But replacement boat NZL 81 was loaded onto a freight plane which took off from Auckland on Tuesday morning.

Regatta spokesman Marcus Hutcheson said it was great news that NZL81 was on its way

He said Team New Zealand's confirmed entry means there will be eight syndicates racing in Valencia in two weeks.

The freight plane carrying NZL 81 has to make stops in Darwin, Singapore, Colombo and Malta, arriving in Valencia on Saturday.

And Michel Bonnefous, the CEO of AC Management, added: "After the storm in Marseille, we were all very concerned that Emirates Team New Zealand might not be able to race here in Valencia.

"All along, we've said that we would do whatever we could to help them, and we are extremely pleased to hear that NZL 81 will be on the starting line for the first race in Valencia.

"With Emirates Team New Zealand ready to race, and the two additional Italian teams making a total of eight, we expect the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts to be even more exciting than Marseille."

Team Alinghi and the BMW Oracle team's boats were also blown over by a violent storm in Marseille.

All three boats suffered significant damage, but the other two teams each have a second race yacht in Spain.

NZL 81 is expected to be sailing on October 1, four days before the regatta starts.

Racing is scheduled to begin with Act 2, a match racing series, on the 5th of October, and will continue with Act 3, a fleet racing regatta, beginning on the 14th of October.

- HERALD STAFF, Newstalk ZB