Team NZ flies NZL 81 to Valencia

7.50am

Team New Zealand will race in the Valencia Louis Vuitton yachting regatta following the decision to fly NZL 81 from Auckland to the Spanish city to replace the damaged NZL 82.

Structural damage to NZL 82 when it was blown over by strong winds after the pre-America's Cup regatta earlier this month left that yacht unable to sail at Valencia.

Chief rivals Alinghi and Oracle also suffered damage but those two syndicates have a second race yacht in Spain.

By contrast, Team New Zealand are forced to fly their second boat 42,000km away in Auckland.

Following a week of meetings, Team New Zealand confirmed that NZL 81 was loaded into a Short Belfast turbo-prop cargo aircraft late last night. The aircraft took off this morning.

"At times it looked like the team would not be able to compete in Acts 2 and 3 of America's Cup 2007," said Grant Dalton, managing director of Team New Zealand.

"Without the assistance of America's Cup Management (ACM) this would have been the case. Our team is fortunate to have the support and confidence of people, organisations and sponsors willing to assist when needed."

But arranging the flight was just the first of several issues that had to be resolved according to Dalton. The size of the yacht made loading it a logistical nightmare.

"It's an extremely tight fit -- there was only a 20mm margin on top and 100 mm in length -- and the loading operation took 4-1/2 hours," Dalton said.

"Our engineers did computer modelling based on NZL81's exact dimensions and those of the aircraft's cargo hold. They were always confident of success, but I was on edge until they actually closed and locked the aircraft's doors."

NZL81 is expected to arrive in Valencia late on Friday, after five fuel stops in Darwin, Singapore, Colombo, Dubai and Malta.

Grant Dalton said shore crew had worked long hours during the week in anticipation of the decision to fly.

The yacht has been painted in its new livery but is not yet race ready. The shore crew will have to fit the keel, install electrical, electronic and hydraulic systems, winches and other deck hardware before the boat can sail.

The team was to fly boatbuilders and specialists to Valencia tomorrow to meet the aircraft and ensure the yacht is race ready on schedule.

Dalton said the shore team estimated that five days would be needed in Valencia to get the yacht ready to sail.

NZL81 is expected to be sailing on October 1, four days before the regatta starts.

Each of the six teams that raced in Marseille will compete in the two regattas in Valencia.

Team Alinghi, BMW Oracle Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand, Le Defi, K-Challenge and Team Shosholoza will be joined in Valencia by two more official challengers for the 32nd America's Cup; the Luna Rossa Challenge, and +39, both from Italy.

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

- NZPA