With Internet Week winding down and our auction keying up yesterday was filled with excitement. Even before the live auction finale, we had seen more participation in our online auction than our partners, Sedo have seen in most auctions.

We began the day at $32,000 with 10 bidders! By auction's close we had participants live AND virtual and e.CO sold for $81,000.

The winners, Lonnie Borck and Uri Kerbel, were announced just five minutes after 4 p.m. EDT.

In case you weren't tuned into our Livestream, watching our Twitter feed or able to attend the live event I've posted the video below.

Here is a recap of yesterday's festivities!

Around 2 p.m. finale observers and bidders began trickling into the Harbor Room of New York City's Soho Grand Hotel. By 3 the room was buzzing with anticipation and the tension was palpable! We all settled in to kick off the event and around 3:30. I welcomed everyone with a quick statement about Internet Week, .CO Internet and the auction that was bid on as I spoke. Next Kathy said a few words on behalf of Sedo our partner in this event. Kathy told the audience about the overwhelming amount of participation and the excitement Sedo has seen surrounding not only the e.CO auction, but the .CO domain in general.

After opening remarks we invited Vanessa, our lovely auctioneer, up to the podium and we were off! I don't know how the virtual bidders (and voyeurs) felt, but in the Harbor Room we were excited, with Lonnie and Uri present to bid we couldn't help but hope they would be victors in the e.CO battle!

Throughout the auction Vanessa Thanos, That Auction Girl, walked the tightrope between auctioneer and host. At one point she eggs on the bidders, "It's only money! You can't take it with you!" Every person in the room laughed and I'd like to think people online were laughing too. She was very charming, but don't take my word for it, read the Domain Gang profile!

Pigs literally flew through the room as onlookers participated in domain trivia and we couldn't help to feel that our joyous celebration of the Internet's evolution and good intentions were being shared across the world. With Livestream watch parties set up at Internet Week Headquarters, T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Vancouver and Internet Retailer in Chicago participants the world over tuning in it really felt like the world's eyes were on the monumentous occasion.

By the end of the auction we'd seen time extend as well as pocketbooks and our live bidders had been crowned e.CO champions. With the close of Sunrise and our first domain name auctioned off we can only expect our dance card to grow with Landrush right around the corner.

There are still opportunities to be involved with .CO:

• "Create Your Opportunity" pitch contest is open until June 14.
• .CO Founders Program accepts application through June 15.

To find out more information on e.CO, our "Create Your Opportunity" contest, and .CO domains in general be sure to follow us on Twitter, "like" COInternet on Facebook and visit the blog regularly!