Official opening ceremony • Sunday 7th February sees the official opening ceremony of the 33rd America’s Cup 2010

Cup, by the Veles et Vents building

Sunday 7th February sees the official opening ceremony of the 33rd America’s Cup, starting at 1300hrs in the heart of Port America’s Cup, by the Veles et Vents building.

The opening ceremony will include the draw for which side the competing yachts have to enter the start area for Race 1, with the time gun scheduled for 1000hrs Monday.

A huge crescendo is promised with a mascletá, a local celebration of firecrackers with the largest reckoned to be 750kilos of gunpowder.

And from 1400hrs the America’s Cup will have the UN GRAIN for Hairt – the cooking of a giant paella with the proceeds all going to relieve suffering in Haiti.

- www.americascup.com