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By Humphrey Carter MICHAEL Douglas threw his whole-hearted support behind Palma's bid to host the America's Cup yesterday at the Breitling sailing regatta in Puerto Portals. Accompanied by his wife, radiant if not wilting Catherine Zeta Jones, Douglas took the stage with Balearic President Jaume Matas, leader of the Council of Majorca Maria Antonia Munar, the director general for Sports, Olympic yachtsman Pepote Ballester and the President of the Real Club Nautico in Palma, Gabriel Barceló. “We're here to back Palma's bid,” Douglas told a huge crowd of media and members of the public, “let's keep our fingers crossed that Palma wins,” he said.

Matas explained Palma's bid for the America's Cup in 2007 and Douglas added that Majorca must have something going for it: “I fell in love with the place many years ago and some four million people come here every year. “This (Puerto Portals) is a fine example of the excellent marinas and yachting facilities we have here, along with great hotels and an airports just minutes away from the city centre. “The marinas in Majorca are far better than many I have seen in the States,” he said.
While the Oscar-winning actor who owns an estate in Valldemossa- where he also has established a cultural centre, addressed the crowd and thanked Matas and Munar for inviting them both to get involved in the bid, his wife looked on with pride as she tried to keep cool in the glaring sunshine. editorialU majorcadailybulletin.es