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Hall of Fame Induction Dinner

Posted 1 year, 1 month ago

Hall of Fame Induction Dinner
Last night's AC Hall of Fame dinner was a spectacularly successful and enjoyable affair. 2007 inductees were Laurie Davidson (NZL) and Bruno Trouble (NZL). Photos all courtesy of GMR. ACHOF President and three-time Cup winner during the 12m era Halsey Herreshoff (USA). His grandfather, Nathaniel G Herreshoff, was arguably the greatest AC yacht designer. CBS evening news anchor, and new Cup aficianado, Katie Couric (USA) gave a witty ceremony-opening talk, with more than a little speech-writing help from Tom Whidden. Russell Coutts (NZL) feted Laurie Davidson, designer of NZL Cup winners in 1995 and 2000. Laurie Davidson gave a brief and touching acceptance speech. Bruno Trouble (FRA, say true-BLAY), was a Cup skipper for France in the 70's, but is better known for creating and running (until AC 32, unfortunately for us all), the LV Cup regatta -- as such the first Cup empresario to be inducted into the HOF. Bruno's acceptance speech was warm and effusive, and he warned those present about the future of the Cup, not that we were entirely sure what he was warning against. The event took place in amazing ambience of VLC's Hemispherico IMAX theatre and special events center. The large black-tie crowd was filled with America's Cup "royalty", including (in no particular order) Paul Cayard (above), Sir Michael and Lady Sarah Fay, Sir James Hardy, Commodore and Mrs W H Dyer Jones, Brad Butterworth (albeit briefly), Tom Whidden, Terry Kohler, Peter Harken, Nicholas Ingate (grandson of Gordon Ingate, skipper of Aussie challenger Gretel II in 1977), Andy Green, Brad Dellenbaugh, ACM's Michel Hodara, Peter Isler, Laurent Esquier, Dawn Riley, Melanie Trouble, Christine Belanger, Jane Eagleson, Ross Blackman, veteran Cup journalists and photogs Bob Fisher, Tim Jeffery, Stuart Alexander, Larry Keating, Rob Mundle, Daniel "Clockmaker" Forster, Bobby Greiser, and many more. It would not be Valencia without fireworks, and there was a spectacularly bright and loud post-ceremony display just outside the hall that lasted for the better part of ten minutes just before 0100. Pity the nearby apartment-dwellers! Click to enlarge! This is the scene as you walk back to the parking lot. The reflecting pools make Mr Calatrava's creations appear to be something futuristic or alien out of Star Wars. Your Ed. gave snappers Forster and Greiser a lift home, and it took us over half an hour to walk the few hundred meters to the parking lot because... ...they stopped to take another picture (with 30-second exposures!) every few steps. It was worth the wait watching them work, especially now that they have emailed me this lousy photo taken of them using on one of Daniel's cameras as they whiled away. LOL, Daniel's email said, "Obviously it was taken by paparazzi, that is why it is blurred! Obviously, they need to give your Ed. some lessons in night-time snapping. Full Story »

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