Jetsettersblog

The America’s Cup duel opens next Monday, Feb. 8, over a 20-mile Mediterranean course off Valencia and the Costa del Azahar.

Tens of thousands are expected to cheer on Alinghi 5, the Swiss defender from Geneva. Just as many more may wave flags for the American challenger, USA, from San Francisco.

Adding to the suspense is the fact that each boat is of a size and speed never before seen in the 159 years of America’s Cup competition.

“This America’s Cup, the experts say, will be the fastest and the most exciting in history,” said Javier Piñanes, director of the Tourist Office of Spain in New York. “And it’s another opportunity to experience Valencia, which rocketed as a destination for Americans when it hosted the America’s Cup in 2007 with such great success.”

The cup competition will be settled in no more than three days of racing, with the remaining matches scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 10, and Friday, Feb. 12 (the latter if necessary in the best-of-three format). That’s in sharp contrast to the previous America’s Cup, in which the Alinghi team defended against Emirates Team New Zealand, the winner of a 2½-month long series of preliminary matches involving 11 boats.

The duel will re-introduce multi-hull boats to America’s Cup competition.

The Alinghi 5 is a giant, double-hulled catamaran; the USA (sailed by the BMW Oracle team) is triple-hulled, a trimaran. While boat lengths are similar to those of the 2007 single hulls, this year’s multi-hulls measure 90 feet at the beam (compared to 13½ feet in 2007), mount masts of as much as 185 feet (compared to 105 feet in 2007) and can skim across the water at up to twice the speed of the wind.

For visitors, it all begins Sunday, Feb. 7, at Valencia’s Marina Juan Carlos 1, with an opening party for thousands, including music and fireworks. A giant paella (Valencians assert that their paella is Spain’s best because their rice is the best) will be served to raise funds to help earthquake survivors in Haiti.

When the competition begins the next day, visitors will be able to cheer the boats as they leave the marina and to follow the action on a giant screen.

More than 2 billion people worldwide will be able to see the races live on television or online at www.AmericasCup.com 

They’ll also get an eyeful of Spain’s third city, made famous by El Cid, the 11th century crusader; by the huge Fallas bonfires of the Fiesta de San José in March; and by Santiago Calatrava, native son and super-architect of Valencia’s futuristic City of Arts & Sciences. Valencia’s harbor will also be the scene of a second major racing event in August — the Formula 1 Telefónica Grand Prix of Europe auto competition, held over three days.

Valencia was founded and named by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. The Gothic cathedral was begun in the 13th century on the site of a Roman temple in the ancient Barrio del Carmen.

The medieval Silk Exchange is another landmark. Iberia flies to Valencia via Madrid from Boston, New York (JFK), Miami and Chicago, with Washington, D.C. service to begin March 28.

Delta will resume peak-season nonstop JFK-to-Valencia service on May 28.
The Valencia Tourist Card is good for unlimited public transportation, and for discounts in museums and many shops. A three-day card costs less than $30.

For more information, visit www.TurisValencia.es  or www.ComunitatValenciana.com  , or the Tourist Office of Spain at www.spain.info

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, Caribbean; January 27, 2010—

Now, adventurous women everywhere can experience a luxury vacation to the British Virgin Islands complete with rest, relaxation, excitement, and plenty of water recreation.

Adventure Women, Inc., a pioneer in active vacations for women over 30, is offering this Caribbean adventure vacation and private cruise, which includes luxurious accommodation on a hand-selected sailboat, the Cuan Law, on the world’s largest trimaran.

Guests stay in a private, en suite stateroom, and can experience the breathtaking tropical scenery, world-famous Caribbean skies, warm turquoise waters and its soft, white-sand beaches.

Also included are leisurely island explorations, beach-side barbeques, and gourmet international cuisine. Guests can choose their level of adventure: sea kayaking, sailing on a Hobie Cat, island hiking, or a little R&R on this one-of-a-kind sailboat. This luxury trip also includes all-inclusive, decadently-prepared gourmet meals. Dates: March 10-16th, 2010. Cost: $2995 ($600 Deposit).

www.adventurewomen.com

The BMW Auckland Regatta is a major event on New Zealand’s sailing calendar.

Sailing fans using hotels in Auckland are in for a treat on February 26th, when one of New Zealand’s premier maritime events comes to town.

The BMW Auckland Regatta takes place over three days in the waters of the city’s Waitemata Harbour and off Eastern Beach.

This year, visitors can expect to see one of the biggest fleets to ever congregate in the Kiwi capital, with amateur sailors competing across 17 divisions including keelboats, multihulls and sportsboats.

A hectic schedule of parties, prize-giving ceremonies and other social events means that there is also plenty to keep those without a major interest in sailing occupied.

However, for many people it will be all about the events in the water, with the amateur crews in each division earning the chance to compete for the BMW Sailing Cup.

This is the country’s most prestigious amateur sailing series and also takes place in Auckland.

The winner is rewarded with an all-expenses paid trip to Europe for the world final, which took place at Italy’s Lake Garda last year.

For 2010, the BMW Sailing Cup has been scheduled for March 13th and 14th, so people planning a longer stay in Auckland can look forward to even more top-class sailing action.

Delta Air Lines will start nonstop service from New York-JFK to the Cayman Islands on June 12.

Flights will operate once a week on Saturdays using the 160-seat Boeing 737-800.

The new service is launching at the same time that the Caymans is offering a family-oriented summer promotion.

The Cayman Islands 2010 summer promotion will be valid for travel May 15 to Sept. 6, 2010, and includes discounted accommodations, activities, meals, car rentals, attractions, and more.

Booking updates will be available soon. For more information, visit www.delta.com  or www.caymanislands.ky

Young Island Resort in St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ seven-night Lover’s Package includes ocean view accommodations, three meals per day, a foot massage per couple valued at $70 and 10 dives with Dive St. Vincent.

The package with 10 dives is $3,880 per couple, for travel through March 31.

Young Island Resort is located off the southern coast of the main island of St. Vincent, a three-minute water taxi ride away.

For more information, call 800-223-1108 or visit www.youngisland.com

Thailand’s Tusita Resort & Spa Chumphon has its original Thai word root from “Dusit,” which means the fourth heaven.

The resort’s design seeks a balance between Indian and English style.

The resort offers 17 rooms and five modern Mediterranean style beachfront rooms.

Tusita is offering a variety of packages in the coming summer season.

For those who favor outdoor activities, they can select snorkeling packages to see the coral reef at Tao & Nang Yuan Island or take a snorkel at Rang Bang Thad & Maprao Island, which is the snorkeling point, situated nearest the resort, with numerous baby coral reefs.

For those who prefer mountains and canals, they can choose rafting at Pa-toh canal.

For those who prefer relaxation the hotel offers a spa.

These package’s prices start at 8,400 THB ($254).

The offer is valid through April 30.

For more information, email reservation@tusitaresort.com  

or visit www.tusitaresort.com

My Exclusive Journeys, a new South American specialist tour operator, is offering a series of small ship cruises in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, with pre/post extensions in various cities.

The ships, which range from seven to 64 cabins, vary in accommodation and amenity levels.

Some are small and casual, just right for a family charter, while others are larger and more luxurious.

One has a helicopter on board. In Argentina and Chile, the five-deck, 64-cabin twin ships Mare and Via Australis, which were purposely built for cruises to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, sail from Ushuaia around Cape Horn to Punta Arenas on three-night voyages.

On the Beyond the End of the World journey, they are combined with Buenos Aires, Santiago and the Santa Cruz Wine Region (from $2,529).

Longer journeys from Buenos Aires to Santiago and vice versa include Bariloche or Iguazu Falls (from $3,933).

In Brazil, the four-deck, 15-cabin riverboat Premium has spacious cabins and public spaces, but is shallow enough to navigate remote tributaries.

It makes two-, three- and five-night cruises on the Amazon from Manaus, including Rio and Salvador de Bahia (from $2,941).

The larger, upscale Gran Amazon (which has two pools, a fitness room and Internet access) cruises along the Negro and Solimoes rivers, as well as the Amazon.

Nomads of the Seas’ Atmosphere carries 28 passengers on seven-night “Posh Patagonia” cruises deep into the wilds of Chilean Patagonia in great luxury, complete with spa, thalassotherapy pools, a gourmet restaurant and even a helicopter (from $10,928).

The operator offers a choice of small motor yachts, catamarans and expedition vessels plying Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands.

The star of the show, however, is the stylish motor sailer, Alta, which makes seven-night voyages through the Galapagos, often under sail.

They can be combined with a pre/post extension to Quito (from $6,995).

In Peru, cruising the northern Amazon from Iquitos, there are two beautiful cruise ships that look rather like large houseboats.

The Aqua, custom-designed in 2007 to the highest standards, has 12 cabins with panoramic windows, excellent Peruvian cuisine and all the comforts of home. The Delfin, a 19th century-style Amazon riverboat, has seven cabins with private bath and air conditioning. Both offer three-, four- and seven-night cruises plus visits to Cuzco and Machu Picchu (from $4,822).

All prices quoted are per person double occupancy, subject to availability and do not include flights, departure taxes, hotel taxes, Galapagos Park fees or gratuities. Cruise only rates are available upon request. In addition to small cruises, the Miami-based tour company features a wide range of “suggested itineraries” in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Peru.
However, it specializes in customized and personalized programs planned down to the smallest detail. Its CEO, Jaime Alvarez, has 30 years of experience in Latin American travel.

For more information, call 888-334-690 or visit www.myexclusivejourneys.com

Adventure Eye Video Systems, which allow tour and resort operators to rent wearable cameras to their clients or film them participating in an activity and provide a customized DVD or jump drive with a recording of the experience within minutes of completion, can now be found at specialty sports ventures in Colorado, at ski schools, on major cruise lines, dive and ski shops.

For more information, view a demonstration movie at www.adventureeyevs.com  or visit www.adventureeye.net

Mondrian in South Beach, part of Morgan’s Hotel Group, announced the company’s first condo-hotel offering, presenting boaters with a destination at the Mondrian Marina on Biscayne Bay.

One of only three marinas located on Miami Beach, Mondrian’s Marina offers 26 boat slips that hold up to 65-foot yachts and luxurious onsite services.

To compliment the marina, Mondrian introduces an array of water activities including jet skis and kayaks available for hotel and marina guests.

In a prime location overlooking views of the downtown Miami skyline, guests will have access to surrounding waters such as Government Cut, North Miami Beach, and the serene natural landscape of Key Biscayne, all while being footsteps away from the action of Mondrian’s own Sunset Lounge.

Monthly and seasonal marina packages are available.

Mondrian also offers marina guests special rates for guest rooms. For the dock master, call 305-514-1500.

For hotel reservations or more information,

call 800-606-6090

or visit www.morganshotelgroup.com

Immerse yourself in the excitement and thrill of yacht racing as Sydney Harbour comes alive for the 5th Annual Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta.

Experience the colour and excitement of the “Clean and Green” sport of yacht racing when the most glamorous yachts converge on Sydney Harbour for the largest regatta since the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

The harbour will transform into a tapestry of colour, when over 350 yachts and some 4000 highly competitive sailors come head to head to win this highly prestigious event. Offering the richest prize in yachting, the overall winner will be awarded a brand new Audi luxury vehicle.

To win the keys to this stunning prize, crews must show their skill on the asphalt at the Eastern Creek “Final Challenge”.

The event launches in February 2010 with a glamorous cocktail party at the Audi Lighthouse, where the sports finest sailors and celebrities alike will gather.

Come Regatta weekend, rub shoulders shore-side with the champions of sail or take part in the host of activities including alfresco dining, remote control model yachts (great entertainment for land lovers), fashion parades, live music, beach parties, and more.

The event culminates with the Official Prize Presentation on Monday 9th March 2009.

WHAT: Australia’s most celebrated harbour welcomes the hard, fast thrill of yacht-racing – Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta

WHEN: Saturday 6 March, Sunday 7 and Monday 8 March 2010

WHERE: Sydney Harbour for sailors and spectators
Middle Harbour Yacht Club for getting involved ‘Shore-side’
Foreshore vantage points & boats for spectators

EXPECT TO SEE: Olympic Gold Medallists like Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page

Yachting’s Finest Sailors like Mark Richards and the Wild Oats Crew (four times winner Rolex Sydney Hobart), Iain Murray, Sir James Hardy

Celebrities like Rugby’s greats and showbiz finest
Fast and furious yacht racing
A party atmosphere

EXPERIENCE: Colour, fast, tight adrenalin racing
Alfresco dining
Glamorous fashion parades
Remote control model yachts
Dinghy sailing for kids
Beach party Saturday and Sunday from 4 pm
Live Entertainment
Racing Re-caps on the big screen suspended from the harbour-side beach

MORE DETAILS:

www.audisydneyharbourregatta.com
Louise Bashford – 0414410000 – lbashford@optusnet.com.au