Next Thursday, March 20 Palma's candidature to be the venue for the
next
America's Cup, one of
the most imporant international sports events, together with the Olympics
and the World Cup for football, will be presented. The presentation ceremony
will take place at 1 p.m. in the Chapel of the Consulado de Mar and will
be attended by the President of the
Balearic
Government, Francesc Antich; the president of the
Mallorcan
Council, Maria Antònia Munar; the mayor of
Palma,
Joan Fageda; and the president of the
Port
Authorities, Francesc Triay, as representatives of the public institutions
that support the candidature promoted by the
Real
Club Náutico de Palma.
Last February the Swiss team, Alinghi, won the last America's Cup, obtaining
for the first time in history the victory for a European yacht. The fact
that Switzerland has no coastline lets the owner of the team, Ernest Bertarelli,
choose the European City for the venue of the next event of the America's
Cup to be held between 2005 and 2007. Besides Palma, Spanish cities
that are opting to be the venue of the America's Cup 2007 include Barcelona,
Cadiz, Valencia, Sanxenxo in Galicia, plus Marseille and Sète in
France, Lisbon in Portugal and Naples in Italy, amongst others.
This popular series of regattas was held for the first time in Great
Britain in 1851 when it was won by the yacht, America, that gave its name
to the competition. The following events have always been organised in
USA, except on one occasion in Australia and two in New Zealand.