Letter from Valencia

Well, we've been here since Tuesday and it's Friday already - time for a quick update on the Louis Vuitton party held Tuesday (check out the report on the America's Cup website). It was wonderful meeting up with so many friends, and great to be a guest for a change!

Christine and the team did an incredible job of transforming a ruined monastery on the outskirts of Valencia into a beautiful party venue.

I'd been roped in to help get one of the teams on their buses to the venue - Emirates Team NZ! - so managed to catch up with a bunch of people all at once.

Here are some of the highlights.

One the bus - Peter Harken, Jo and Ross Blackman, Peter Cornes, Don Robertson

Big Trouble, and Little Trouble
The Cowies and The Raes
The Robertsons and Melanie Trouble

We entered the venue through the original church which had been transformed into a multi media spectacle. Images of waves were projected on the side walls and a huge cage suspended from the ceiling enclosed two performers who swung the cage back and forth while wrestling for the Cup which was displayed in the middle of the cage.

The stage setting and arches on the right were completely fabricated for the night

As the presentation of the top 4 skippers started the faces of the previous winning skippers were projected onto the stage. The logo was projected onto a screen of water falling from the arches which pulled back to reveal the skippers walking on stage.




Bruno and Yves Carcelle of Louis Vuitton present the skippers.


Christine and Bruno were the first on the dance floor. Bruno encouraging the crowds up on stage.

One last photo - carriages at 3.30am!
Thanks Christine for the ticket, and Anna for the job!