Americas Cup Challenger Prada

Team Prada continues training in Auckland with the two yachts Luna Rossa; on the race course where the Louis Vuitton Cup will start on 18 October.

Since the beginning of last week the Race Committee has been laying the race courses each day and has invited all the syndicates to train against each other.

Two of the thirteen challengers who submitted their entry for the Louis Vuitton Cup by 1 August (deadline set by the rules), have officialy withdrawn from the competition:
St. Petersburg Yacht Club/Age of Russia Challenge (RUS), who didn't present a boat in Auckland by the deadline of 4 October and Yacht Club de Cannes/Société Nautique Grau-du-Roi - Port Camargue/Le Défi Sud Challenge (FRA), who decided to retire although having a IACC yacht in New Zealand (FRA 40, the old boat used last year by the Swiss team FAST2000).

Tomorrow, 15 October, the Louis Vuitton Cup Opening Ceremony will take place in Auckland with a street parade of all the teams. On that day there will also be the official draw ceremony for the first two Round Robins. Two races each day for each team will be sailed in Round Robin 1, using two differnet race courses. The first start of the day will be at 10.30 am local time, whilst the last possible start is at 4 pm.

The live satellite link with team Prada in Auckland on the Italian TV network RAI3 has been confirmed for 8 pm Italian time on 16 October. It will be aired during a special feature on the America's Cup shown during the opening of the International Genoa Boat Show.

Starting from 18 October the Italian TV RAI2 will air daily highlights of the racing at midnight Italian time. Live TV coverage will start from the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals
(2 January 2000).

Virtual Spectator will go on-line on 18 October: this innovative software will enable the users to view the races in 3D live from Internet (the CD can be purchased at http://www.virtualspectator.com).

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