MainSail

EPISODE 39

VALENCIA

Spanish sailing is on a high following the success of the America’s Cup. MainSail presenter, Shirley Robertson reports from Valencia.

TROPHEO SM LA REINA CUP

One of the highlights of the America’s Cup was the performance of the home team, Desafio Espagnol. Competing for the first time in the event, they reached the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup where they took two races off the eventual winners, Team New Zealand. Shirley Robertson catches up with some of the sailors from Desafio as they compete at the Tropheo SM La Reina Cup, hosted by the Real Club Nautico de Valencia. The event is named after the Queen of Spain, who attends the regatta prize-giving.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE

As well as the America’s Cup, Spain hosts another of sailing’s premier events, The Volvo Ocean Race. Last year it departed from Galicia and in 2008, it will leave from Alicante. MainSail takes a look at the teams that have declared their participation so far, in this new-look event around the world.

DISNEY FILM

Roy Disney, nephew of Walt, and a keen sailor, has many Transpacific yacht races, from Los Angeles to Honolulu, under his belt. At the age of 77, his active participation is over, but this year, he is following the race closely, as he makes a documentary about a boatful of young sailors on board a TP52 yacht. This is planned to be released as a Disney film in cinemas.

SAILING IN VALENCIA

As Valencia looks set to continue as the venue for the next America’s Cup, MainSail looks at the effect the event has had on helping to open up this industrial city to the sea.