America's Cup: Valencia lacks local zeal to cut it as Cup host

By JULIE ASH


While the locals are starting to get a feel for the America's Cup, there is still a long way to go before Valencia reaches the hype of Auckland.

Although the Spanish city is on the coast, few locals actually own boats and appear totally amazed by simple things like the large vessel used as a spectator boat for the media.

Every day hundreds of people gather to watch it come in from the race course.

So if the media boat appears impressive they must be blown away by Oracle boss Larry Ellison's latest toy Ronan, a gigantic super yacht which sits perched at the end of the dock.

The best thing that could happen to Spain would be for them to have a team in the event. While most locals acknowledge hosting the America's Cup will be great for the city it is hard for them to really get in behind the event when they don't have a team to support.

It is not like in New Zealand, where the whole country was behind Team New Zealand and their challenges from 1987 onwards. Who hasn't got a pair of red socks?

When New Zealand won the cup in 1995 the interest was already there.

Spain didn't win the cup. Although Spain has challenged for the cup before, the sport of sailing does not appear that big in Valencia.

In fact many locals didn't even know the America's Cup existed until they won the right to host it.

The problem at the moment is that everything to do with the cup seems so elitist. While the America's Cup has always been regarded as a rich man's sport, Valencia, although the third largest city in Spain, is regarded as a poor cousin of the likes of Barcelona.

So whether the two will fit, who knows. Event organisers America's Cup Management are doing their utmost to ensure it works. With large billboards and posters everywhere, you cannot miss the fact that this is the location of the next America's Cup.

Valencia's "syndicate row" will easily come together. There is ample room for bases.

The only difficulty is that they are kilometres away from the city centre and the area really lacks pubs, clubs and cafes like Auckland's Viaduct. But with two-and-a-half years still to go, the locals may yet warm to it.


* Julie Ash's trip to Valencia was assisted by Emirates Airline.