Valencia, 2 March 2006 - The links between China and the 32nd
America's Cup have been strengthened today with the announcement of a
'China sails into the America's Cup' concert, which will be staged in
Beijing on April 1 of this year.The concert was announced during a press
conference in Beijing on Thursday. The aim of the concert, presented by the
organisers of the 32nd America's Cup and Louis Vuitton, is to celebrate
China Team, the first Chinese challenger in the long history of the
America's Cup.
"The challenge from China Team adds new excitement and energy to the
legend of the America's Cup," said Paco Latorre, the communications
director of the event organisers.
The concert in April will feature up to 15 Chinese stars, including Mo
Wen wei, Wang Li hong, Su you peng, Rong Zu er, Chen Hui lin, Zhao Wei, Yu
Quan, Chen Kun, Zhou Xun. They will perform at the Tian Qiao Theatre, with
the show broadcast on China Central Television, China's largest TV network.
Bruno Troublé, the initiator of the Louis Vuitton Cup, said the
challenge by China Team is crucial for the development of sailing in China.
"The scores aren't important at this stage," he said. "What matters is that
the crew is developing through competing with and against the best sailors
in the world."
The team is recruiting Chinese sailors in collaboration with the Chinese
Yachting Association and will build its racing yacht in China, beginning
later this summer.
China Team lodged its challenge for the 32nd America's Cup in April 2005
and is the first ever challenge from China. The team is a collaboration
between a group of Chinese entrepreneurs and the French Le Défi, which
competed in the last two Louis Vuitton Cups.
America's Cup racing begins this season with the Louis Vuitton Acts 10
and 11 from the 11th to 21st of May.