Auckland prepares for Louis Vuitton Trophy 2nd Regatta

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Louis Vuitton Trophy WSTA _flv

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Charles in Queenstown (AJ Hackett Mecca) New Zealand 15 years ago

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By Charles Oladeji.

Back in 1995 I took a trip to Auckland city New Zealand, the very city the second leg of the Louis Vuitton Trophy will take place starting this week (9-21 March). Back then I had no idea a luxury luggage company controlled a prestigious regatta, but,  I might have gone clubbing near Waitemata Harbour where the regatta is about to take place. I do remember walking up and down Hilly street with a Islanders' swagger, but  it was so long ago. By the way the picture of me above was taken 15 years ago on a mountain in  Queenstown New Zealand, the Mecca of  Bungy Jumping tourism . 

Regarding the new regatta  created last September to replace the venerated Louis Vuitton Cup after 25 years, the disputes and controversy that preceded it seem to dissolved after the BMW Oracle (USA-17) won the America's Cup from Alinghi 5 and SNG. The new Louis Vuitton World Series championship is destined to be linked to the America's Cup since Ernesto Bertarelli and  SNG no longer control or have a say in how future races are conducted.

The current Louis Vuitton Trophy  together with the World Sailing Team Association (WSTA)   will operate on a round robin format during the five Regatta competitions which began in Nice, (Cote D'Azur) France  last November.  After Auckland, the competition moves on to Sardinia, The middle East, and Hong Kong. The new Louis Vuitton Trophy has eight teams , all in it to win it, including the British 'Team Origin' and the Franco-German Team called 'All4One' (not to confused with that awful boy band from the 90s called All4One).

However, the team to watch has been the all Italian Azzura Team who, after  returning to the Louis Vuitton regatta since departing in 1987, shocked many who had the  Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) down as favourites by beating ETNZ in Nice. Practice is currently taking place between the teams.  As an added bonus for those interested,  the Auckland Boat Show which over laps the Louis Vuitton Trophy will be in progress for four days (11-14 March).   I've attached a link to  pictures of the merchandise, luxury yachts, motorboats, catamarans, et cetera on display at the London Tullet Prebon Boat Show in bitterly cold January 2010.  Look out for the Louis Vuitton Cup this year, it's bound to throw up a few surprises.