Day Off! Jul 3, 10:49
After a long, hard slog these past three weeks (to say nothing of the last three months given all the goings on since 87 arrived in VLC on the Antonov, getting her commissioned, the christening party, the three Acts, the Rock Center Exhibition, etc.) the team has a well-deserved day off.
But just one day off, as by this time tomorrow de-brief meetings for every department will be in full swing at the Base. During Act 12, at times it felt like the regatta had been on for a month, but now that it's over it seems it literally flew by.
Last evening on the roof of their team base Alinghi threw a spirited "season-ending" party -- classy but relaxed -- attended by 40 or so from our team, and another 500+ people from the other teams, ACM, officials, etc. In the heat of the night the Moet was flowing and the music blaring. Everything in Spain is loud. One hears (with ears still ringing the next morning) that some danced until 0400. Not your Ed., who like many was too pooped to participate much beyond midnight. Regardless, it was a right good piss-up, and put an exclamation point on what can only be called the best match racing in the modern history of the Cup, and probably ever.
Together last night the teams let their collective hair down a bit. Above,
two of our favorite ex-teammates: Cameron Dunn (NZL, Mascalzone) and
Denise Holmberg (USA, wife of Alinghi helmsman Peter Holmberg) at the
classy season-end party hosted by Alinghi.
This morning the local weather service has issued a heat warning, saying that parts of the Valencian community will see temps north of 38 (100F). Things are just warming up in time for the Pope's visit this coming weekend. Well over one million visitors are expected. One has no idea where they will reside while here -- every hotel room within 300km of VLC is said to be booked. And the sidewalks on either side of the Old Turia riverbed, now Valencia's city-long central park and where His Holiness will present this weekend, are lined with, literally, miles and miles of portapots. Organizers must have gathered up every dunnie in Spain. One can only imagine how this city is going to look -- and smell -- a week from today.
In the meantime, seems a good day to reflect on the past weeks' work, and the work we have cut out for us in the remaining months of AC 32. Ideally, after finding someplace nice and cool.
For most today it's "Vamos a la playa, o la piscina."
But just one day off, as by this time tomorrow de-brief meetings for every department will be in full swing at the Base. During Act 12, at times it felt like the regatta had been on for a month, but now that it's over it seems it literally flew by.
Last evening on the roof of their team base Alinghi threw a spirited "season-ending" party -- classy but relaxed -- attended by 40 or so from our team, and another 500+ people from the other teams, ACM, officials, etc. In the heat of the night the Moet was flowing and the music blaring. Everything in Spain is loud. One hears (with ears still ringing the next morning) that some danced until 0400. Not your Ed., who like many was too pooped to participate much beyond midnight. Regardless, it was a right good piss-up, and put an exclamation point on what can only be called the best match racing in the modern history of the Cup, and probably ever.
)
Together last night the teams let their collective hair down a bit. Above,two of our favorite ex-teammates: Cameron Dunn (NZL, Mascalzone) and
Denise Holmberg (USA, wife of Alinghi helmsman Peter Holmberg) at the
classy season-end party hosted by Alinghi.
This morning the local weather service has issued a heat warning, saying that parts of the Valencian community will see temps north of 38 (100F). Things are just warming up in time for the Pope's visit this coming weekend. Well over one million visitors are expected. One has no idea where they will reside while here -- every hotel room within 300km of VLC is said to be booked. And the sidewalks on either side of the Old Turia riverbed, now Valencia's city-long central park and where His Holiness will present this weekend, are lined with, literally, miles and miles of portapots. Organizers must have gathered up every dunnie in Spain. One can only imagine how this city is going to look -- and smell -- a week from today.
In the meantime, seems a good day to reflect on the past weeks' work, and the work we have cut out for us in the remaining months of AC 32. Ideally, after finding someplace nice and cool.
)
For most today it's "Vamos a la playa, o la piscina."Time Out | by TFE
