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A Dragon Enters the America’s Cup


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A Dragon Enters the America’s Cup

CHINA TEAM and Lladro recently unveiled the artistic design of CHN79, the boat that China Team will race in the America’s Cup 2006 and more particularly for the Louis Vuitton Valencia Acts 10 to 12. The design was created in close collaboration with Lladro. The Chinese dragon is depicted on the hull of the boat, stretching across the surface in red and yellow in a movement that is both spectacular and original.

For the past three months the China Team and Lladro teams have been working closely in Peking and Valencia to come up with the concept and the emblem of the dragon and the new design of the boat. The result was unveiled at the historic headquarters of Lladro in Valencia to the press and Lladro employees, Wednesday 1 March 2006.
Rosa Lladro and Alain Viot (Lladro), Xavier de Lesquen and Pierre Mas (China Team) revealed the decoration of the hull. A seven-metre model of the hull was erected and hung above the admiring crowds below. The model was based on the lower part of the hull used by China Team and handed over to Lladro so that the designers could physically work on the actual shape of the boat.
The dragon symbolises China and represents strength and nobility, making it an important element of Chinese culture. China Team’s dragon therefore respects this tradition, adding speed and elegance to the mix. The first impressions were positive and the design was applauded by over a thousand people gathered at the presentation on Wednesday.
The China Team racing boat, CHN79 should receive its new graphics before the end of the month and be launched by the beginning of April. The boat, which was built in 2002, has undergone a series of changes to make it competitive for the 11 May 2006. One thing is certain: you won’t be able to miss it!
“It is really superb, admitted Pierre Mas, skipper of CHINA TEAM, and it reflects the philosophy of the team. Originality and creativity are the key words. China Team is coming together little by little, and the young Chinese sailors who have joined us are blending in well with the existing team. We are leaving for China at the end of the week for an important session of detection and selection in Shenzhen and Hong Kong with the Chinese Yachting Association. The new dragon emblem reflects the team spirit very well. It is totally modern and definitively Chinese. We are following tradition, using all the experience we have gained, and working towards the long term to produce an exceptional team for the America’s Cup. We’re going to make that dragon dance on the waters of Valencia in 2006!
The day ended with the launch of a large, internal operation involving all Lladro’s employees, named “Competimos.” In teams of six, the employees have the opportunity to win a trip to China. The operation aims to encourage competition, team work and openings to key markets in the future. During the presentation, Alain Viot presented the first derivatives designed for China Team, notably the magnificent collection of Vientos des Mar inspired by the wind and the sea and which will limited to a 1,000 pieces.

Source: CHINA TEAM/Remi Villard