The 2010 America's Cup in Valencia

Well the Catamarans have arrived and the rather muted build up to the controversial 2010 America's Cup sailing, a hand to hand fight between two billionaires with more money than sense, is getting ready.

February will be the time that the three races go ahead inevitably followed by court case after court case to decide where the next totally discredited event will take place. Let's face it, the America's Cup has been hijacked by Billionaire's egos. Neither Berterelli nor Ellison of the two contending boats can be happy about what has happened.

A great event in Valencia last time was plunged into uncertainty as soon as Alinghi moved the goalposts of how the event was to be organised. All of the action in the two years since the last event has been in the courtrooms in New York and the future of the event was decided by a judge who had nothing to do with the event rather than these two egomaniacs actually sitting down and arranging what was best for this ancient and historical tradition.

Why did Alinghi try to load the dice in its favour? Simply put, money: The America's Cup is a cash cow. Valencia paid a ridiculous amount of money to the organisers for the last event and tried to justify it by the increased tourist revenues while at the same time forcing Ryaniar out of the airport at Valencia which brought a lot more money into the city through the 750000 passengers a year that Ryanair brought in.

This is How The Race Should Be

The Valencia local and regional governement should be brought to task for the total mess that the America's Cup fiasco has brought and the loss of trade of year round customers from Ryanair. Will it be? No. Rita Barbera and Francisco "Trajes" Camps at the regional government run their fiefdoms without hinderence from anyone and until that situation is questioned at the polling booth the mess that they have created by insisting on big events over trickle down events will continue.

The best example is the Quantum of Solace premiere. Two years ago the town council paid around 1 million Euros to host the gala opening at the City of Arts and Sciences bringing the Director and Actors over for the event. The same day Ryanair announced it was leaving Valencia airport indefinitely because of the incompetence of the local government, basically they wanted around 1 million Euros to keep flying here. What has the longer term benefit for Valencia, a gala one nighter or Ryanair? You decide.