By JULIE ASH
The French challenge Le Defi Areva took their two yachts FRA69 and FRA79 sailing for the last time in Auckland this week.
Beaten by Victory Challenge in the quarter-finals, Le Defi Areva now face the task of packing up their boats, sails, tenders and rigs and heading home.
One of
Le Defi's yachts is scheduled to be shipped from Auckland to France on December 20 while the second will take the five-week trip roughly a month later.
While Le Defi hasn't committed to competing at the next Louis Vuitton Cup, its sponsors this time are said to be very interested in another campaign.
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Britain's GBR Challenge, also knocked out at the quarter-final stage, will continue two-boat testing and development work over the next three weeks.
The team will start packing up to return to Britain early next year, although some of the team will stay in Auckland to watch the America's Cup.
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The Louis Vuitton challenger series has obviously attracted many overseas visitors to New Zealand.
But according to the Alinghi website, some visitors certainly have a lot to learn about the country.
Here are some of the questions staff at the Viaduct information centre have had to deal with:
* Can you tell me where the Sky Tower is? I have been walking around all afternoon looking for it
* Is there an afternoon cruise around the South Island?
* When do the yachts sail to America?
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Oracle BMW Racing will compete in the International America's Cup Class Regatta in San Francisco next year.
The series begins in May and Oracle boss Larry Ellison will skipper USA76 in the Grand Prix division.
"I have long dreamed of the world's top America's Cup teams racing their boats on San Francisco Bay," Ellison said. Regardless of who wins the America's Cup in 2003, the world's best boats and sailors will be coming to compete in nature's most beautiful sailing amphitheatre."
IACCSF was created to promote International America's Cup Class fleet racing.
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
Racing schedule, results and standings
