Lighter breezes brought more players to the front of the fleet on day one of the Plymouth Match Racing Championship, with Artemis Racing winning two of today’s three fleet races. With the sun beaming down on Plymouth Sound, the crowd on the Hoe was treated to a day of upsets, passing moves, and come-from-behind wins on the waters below.

The fast-learning challenger teams showed they can mix it with the best when the game moves away from the strong wind boathandling of last weekend to the more subtle, tactical game of today’s lighter and trickier breezes. And Terry Hutchinson’s team on Artemis Racing were the class act of the day, with individual displays of brilliance from a number of the newer teams.

“We’re getting more confident in our starting and putting our boat in some good spots,” said Hutchinson following racing. “All in all it was just a good day. Boat speed is a good thing and it looks like we’re going pretty fast.”

Energy Team led for a good portion of the first race before losing out to Artemis Racing just towards the finish. In the second race it was Team Korea’s time to shine, moving through the fleet and past Emirates Team New Zealand for a morale-boosting victory.

“We had a good sequence with the wind shifts,” Team Korea skipper Chris Draper said. “With the course boundary, if you get out of sequence it’s hard to get back into it.”

Emirates Team New Zealand blotted their copy book at the final start, crossing the line too early along with Aleph, with both the Kiwis and French forced to go back and play catch-up. Whereas Bertrand Pacé’s French team could make little impact, Dean Barker’s New Zealand crew found some great gusts and wind shifts to haul themselves right back up the fleet into second place at the finish behind Artemis Racing, in one of the more impressive performances of the day.

Surprisingly, both ORACLE Racing teams struggled on the day and sit in fifth and six place on the leaderboard. James Spithill and crew led for part of the first race but fell to finish third, in what would be their best result of the day.

The two teams who spent most of last night making various repairs to their boats ahead of today’s racing – China Team and Green Comm Racing – trail the leaderboard.

“We were happy to be back on the water after yesterday’s nasty capsize and we worked as hard as we could,” said China Team skipper Charlie Ogletree. “We were a little slow today. Condition today were much different (from the weekend) and the other teams figured out better tactics to handle it.”

Also taking in the racing today was HRH Prince Michael of Kent, who observed the action from on board the Race Committee boat for the afternoon.

The seeding races for the Plymouth Match Racing Championship continue on Thursday, with three fleet races scheduled. Racing begins at 14:10 local time (GMT+1).

All racing can be seen live on www.youtube.com/americascup.

Results – Wednesday seeding races in Plymouth Match Racing Championship

Place	Team	RACE #1		RACE #2		RACE #3		TOTAL POINTS
		Place	Points	Place	Points	Place	Points
1	Artemis Racing	1	10	4	7	1	10	27
2	Emirates Team New Zealand	4	7	2	9	2	9	25
3	Team Korea	6	5	1	10	3	8	23
4	Energy Team	2	9	7	4	4	7	20
5	ORACLE Racing Coutts	5	6	3	8	5	6	20
6	ORACLE Racing Spithill	3	8	5	6	6	5	19
7	Aleph	7	4	6	5	9	3	12
8	China Team	8	3	8	3	8	3	9
9	Green Comm Racing	DSQ	0	9	3	7	4	7

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Team China damages wing ( Photo by ACEA / Gilles Martin-Raget )

© 2011 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

Today the America’s Cup World Series teams prepared for racing in advance of the reformatted Plymouth Match Racing Championship.While the majority stayed ashore on a blustery day, Artemis Racing had a successful short training sail in the strong conditions. But China Team wasn’t as fortunate, suffering damage to their wing from a spectacular capsize.“Unfortunately the way the boat landed, the wind got under the wing and caused more damage. The boat then flipped over and over going downwind, from stern to bow, which was pretty exciting,” said Will Howden, a crew member on China Team. “A pretty nasty one but everyone is OK and that’s the main thing.” Shore crew will be working through the night in an effort to get the team to the start line tomorrow: “Our technical team and ACRM will be working together to repair the boat,” said skipper Charlie Ogletree. “It will be a long night, but we think we’ll be up and running tomorrow… Our neighbors – Artemis Racing, ORACLE Racing, have all offered help, which is very nice.” The three teams who had previously capsized in Sunday’s heavy conditions have all reported they’ll be ready to race Wednesday after making minor repairs. Team Korea, one of the teams to capsize, was able to finish the race, and even briefly considered participating in the following speed trials. Skipper Chris Draper says the key to minimizing the damage was being prepared in advance, along with the quick work of their chase boat crew. “Our support crew did a great job in moving so quickly,” said Draper. “The thing is the wing is in danger of filling up with water and the longer the boat’s on its side the more likely the damage is going to increase. So there’s a double incentive to get the boat upright as quickly as you can – to preserve the boat and finish the race.” The teams with minor wing damage were also able to take advantage of a new initiative where the organizers have provided a standby ‘pit crew’ to assist teams in repairs. This has helped smaller teams in particular make timely repairs. Wednesday is the first day of the Plymouth Match Racing Championship, which begins with two days of seeding races ahead of Friday and Saturday’s finals. “Following feedback from the teams, we’ve made some tweaks to make all of the races meaningful for each of the teams,” said Regatta Director Iain Murray. “Everybody will sail in the important seeding fleet races (three per day) on Wednesday and Thursday, and then we’ll have the final match racing on Friday and Saturday. This is a more exciting format for teams and fans alike.” Importantly, even the ninth place team from the seeding fleet races can advance to the final by winning all of their match races. The winner at the end of the four days of racing is the Plymouth Match Racing Champion. On Sunday, September 18, all nine race crews will line up for the Plymouth Fleet Racing Championship. This 40-minute fleet race is a winner-takes-all, fight for the title. The teams collect points from the Match Racing and Fleet Racing Championships at each AC World Series event towards the overall America’s Cup World Series title. Three AC World Series prizes (Match Racing, Fleet Racing, Combined) will be awarded at the conclusion of the 2011-2012 season in Newport, Rhode Island on July 1, 2012. All racing in Plymouth will be streamed live on www.youtube.com/americascup, beginning on Wednesday at 14:10 local time (GMT+1).

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Pushing hard at the start (Photo by Colin Merry)

Three capsizes tell the story of an epic final race in the Plymouth AC Preliminaries with winds gusting close to 30 knots (35 mph; 55 kph) across Plymouth Sound. The race course was pushed up close to The Hoe, and once again, the crowds on the hill were rewarded with thrilling racing just meters from shore.

The blustery conditions pushed the crews and the boats to their limits, and in some cases beyond. \Three teams capsized; the French Aleph, Team Korea and just meters from the finish, Spain’sGreen Comm Racing. In each case, the crews escaped unscathed, the boats, with minor damage to their wings.During the race, the ORACLE Racing Spithill crew had many near misses and was lucky not to capsize as they passed the first mark with the lead. Other boats challenged them for their early advantage, with first Artemis Racing, then Emirates Team New Zealand taking their turn at the head of the fleet. But it was a game of least mistakes, a war of attrition that eventually went back in favor of James Spithill and his slick ORACLE team.France’s Energy Team sailed a strong race to finish fourth, after battling around the course with Russell Coutts for a podium spot. China Team too, sailed well in the conditions to finish in fifth place. Artemis Racing, meanwhile, was forced to retire, moments after relinquishing the lead on the second lap of the course, with equipment problems. Aleph was the first to capsize, nose-diving right in front of the crowds gathered along Plymouth seafront, early in the race. Team Korea (Photo by Colin Merry)   Nose Dive (Photo by Colin Merry) Team Korea digging in (Photo by Colin Merry)

 

 

nose-diving right in front of the crowds gathered along Plymouth seafront, early in the race. Then, at the top of
the course Team Korea speared their bows into the waves and flipped over.

And tantalizingly close to the finish, Green Comm Racing was toppled by a gust on
the final leg of the race. Luca Devoti, sports director from Green Comm
commented later: “Nobody has been hurt and the wing has been damaged; we’ll need
two days to fix it.”

All day, the sailors and the boats were racing at
their very limits, unless a nonchalant James Spithill was to be believed after
the race. “It was great racing for sure, not even at the limit of the boats; still a way to go.” Brave words after a race that had spectators gasping with disbelief.

 While Spithill won the race, his rival Dean Barker’s second place was sufficient to give victory to the Kiwis in the Plymouth AC  Preliminaries.

In Sunday’s AC500 Speed Trials, it looked like the Kiwis had it in the bag with two great runs while others were spinning off the race track. James Spithill’s words nearly came back to haunt him as the ORACLE AC45 flipped right on to its edge – there were a few moments of doubt as to whether it would capsize – before it slapped back down on its floats.

With Spithill out of contention in the speed trials, it was up to the
remaining teams – and ORACLE Racing Coutts in particular – to take the fight to
the Kiwis. Once again Russell Coutts had the bit between his teeth and turned in
a scorching final run to post a winning time of 37:48 seconds.

Monday and Tuesday are off days at the America’s Cup World Series – Plymouth allowing the teams a chance to rest and repair both man and machine. Racing resumes on Wednesday with qualifying races for the Plymouth AC Match Race Championship.

 Results – Plymouth AC Preliminaries

Place	Team	RACE #1		RACE #2		RACE #3		RACE #4		TOTAL POINTS
		Place	Points	Place	Points	Place	Points	Place	Points
1	Emirates Team New Zealand	1	10	3	8	1	10	2	9	37
2	ORACLE Racing Spithill	2	9	1	10	4	7	1	10	36
3	Artemis Racing	3	8	2	9	2	9	DNF	3	29
4	ORACLE Racing Coutts	OCS	3	4	7	3	8	3	8	26
5	China Team	6	5	5	6	6	5	5	6	22
6	Aleph	4	7	7	4	5	6	DNF	3	20
7	Energy Team	8	3	6	5	7	4	4	7	19
8	Team Korea	5	6	DNF	3	8	3	6	5	17
9	Green Comm Racing	7	4	8	3	9	3	DNF	3	13

 

Plymouth AC500 Speed
Trials – Sunday

Place	Team	Speed (km/h)
1	ORACLE Racing Coutts	48.00
2	Emirates Team New Zealand	47.36
3	China Team	44.12
4	Energy Team	34.34
	ORACLE Racing Spithill	DNF
	Artemis Racing	DNS
	Team Korea	DNS
	Green Comm Racing	DNS
	Aleph	DNS

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Big crowds in excess of 10,000 turned out to watch the first day of racing at the AC World Series – Plymouth, and they were treated to a display of excellent racing in challenging conditions.

Emirates Team New Zealand won two of three fleet races to open the event. Not to be outdone, Russell Coutts and his ORACLE Racing crew set the pace in the AC500 Speed Trials, posting the fastest time over the 500 meter runway.

The race course was set up in the Sound, just meters offshore from the Plymouth Hoe, making day one of the event pure ‘stadium sailing’.

“It was pretty awesome to see a crowd like that supporting the sport,” said Artemis Racing skipper Terry Hutchinson. “There were a lot of public on the Plymouth Hoe and around the course. I don’t think anyone expected something like that. Imagine what could happen with a sunny day.”

With the wind blowing in excess of 20 knots at times, boat handling was the key skill today, combined with brave starting. Dean Barker and the Kiwis took the first race with their big rivals from Cascais, Portugal. ORACLE Racing Spithill, in hot pursuit. James Spithill’s colleagues on ORACLE Racing Coutts were disqualified for being over too early on the start line.

Even in these big breezes, getting a great start was proving critical, and this time Spithill managed to control the Kiwis, keeping his rivals slow while he shot away to an early lead that grew as the race continued. In a big pile-up at the downwind gate, just meters away from the spectators on the sea wall, French team Aleph was forced to bail out to avoid a collision. With the breeze at its highest, some teams were really struggling with controlling the high-speed cats, and Artemis Racing narrowly avoided a capsize at one mark rounding. Team Korea meanwhile was forced to retire from this race with equipment problems.

Dean Barker learned his lesson from the previous start and this time had a great launch from the downwind end of the line to lead around the first mark, narrowly in front of Artemis Racing and Spithill. The American defender kept up the pressure until he got caught up in an altercation with a local sailor watching the proceedings from his small cruising yacht. Spithill was forced to bring his catamaran to a grinding halt while he waited for the yacht to motor clear of the course.

By the time ORACLE Racing Spithill was up and running again, the Kiwis were long gone. Now the race was with the other ORACLE boat, and they were shown no mercy by Russell Coutts who closed them out and sailed in front. Meanwhile Artemis had pounced on the ORACLE mishap to move into second place.

Emirates Team New Zealand’s two race wins on the day gave them the lead in the fleet racing, and Dean Barker did a fly-by for the crowds as he waved his appreciation to the people of Plymouth who had come to watch. Artemis finished the day on equal points with Spithill.

Immediately afterwards the nine teams lined up for the AC500 Speed Trial, and Russell Coutts and his experienced crew showed the younger teams how to get maximum speed out of an AC45 in a straight line. Coutts scored a time of 39.69 seconds, with a top speed of 28.18 mph, 1.48 seconds faster than second-placed Emirates Team New Zealand.

 

All Images Copyright Colin Merry

 (Click on image to enlarge)

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Challenge and Adventure’s Colin Merry is onhand at the America’s Cup World Series in Plymouth, England and will give daily reports and photos on the racing action. 

New from Colin at Friday’s practice racing. “Not the best of days for a yacht race. A steady drizzle made for a wet start to the America’s cup second series of heats being held in the port of Plymouth England. Add to that a visibility varying between mist and fog, and coming down to masthead at times made it a tricky one to shoot. However seven of the eight boats made it to the start line on Friday afternoon (Team Korea turning back with onboard problems). Two practise races were held before end of play. It was strange for me as having raced in Plymouth Sound for several years I was not prepared for how fast in the light airs these boats would appear out of the mist and go hurtling past us! Even though this was only a practise session no quarter was given or expected. The racing was close and at the marks it, at times got very close! If you are in Plymouth over the next eight days it is going to be a spectacle not to be missed!”

 

 

The team bases have been built, the shore side facilities are nearing completion and some teams have already started training on site. With just one week to go until the first race of the America’s Cup World Series – Plymouth, all of the pieces are falling into place.

For some of the British sailors sprinkled throughout the crew lists, the opportunity to sail at home in the UK is very welcome: “It will certainly be great to be sailing on ‘home’ waters and to have the support of family and friends, and the venue looks to be a natural amphitheater which should be great for spectators to watch the racing,” said Chris Draper, the British skipper of Team Korea.

“I’m looking forward to the regatta as I’ve not sailed in Plymouth that much. We’ve been doing a lot of analysis after the first event and have some valuable input we can apply going into this one. While we had a good regatta and were generally pleased with our performance in Cascais, we think we can improve in some key areas.”

They won’t be alone. The nine crews representing seven countries will arrive in Plymouth ready to renew rivalries in the new AC45 wing-sailed catamarans, which have proved to be the perfect tool in delivering close, exciting, adrenalin-filled racing.

This is the second stage in the America’s Cup World Series. In the inaugural event in Cascais, Portugal, last month, ORACLE Racing Spithill won the match racing title, while Emirates Team New Zealand came out on top in the first ‘Super Sunday’ fleet race to grab the overall win.

Here’s the current leaderboard for the 2011-2012 AC World Series:

• Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), skipper Dean Barker
• Artemis Racing (SWE), skipper Terry Hutchinson
• ORACLE Racing Spithill (USA), skipper James Spithill
• ORACLE Racing Coutts (USA), skipper Russell Coutts
• Green Comm Racing (ESP), skipper Vasilij Zbogar
• Aleph (FRA), skipper Bertrand Pacé
• Team Korea (KOR), skipper Chris Draper
• Energy Team (FRA), skipper Loïck Peyron
• China Team (CHN), skipper Charlie Ogletree

China Team has a new skipper in Charlie Ogletree, who has been promoted from the role of tactician in Cascais. Andreas Hagara, an experienced and decorated multihull sailor from Austria, joins the team as helmsman.

Thierry Barot, CEO of China Team, said: “What we are aiming to do is to build a real sports team where each member plays a key part, and at the same time, has the flexibility to be capable to move around as we race in different waters and under different weather conditions; this will truly maximize the potential of each member and enable them to add the most value to the team.”

In Plymouth, the opening weekend will see the Plymouth AC Preliminaries, consisting of four fleet races spread across both Saturday (1410 start) and Sunday (1500 start), as well as the AC 500 Speed Trial, also scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Monday and Tuesday are off days before the Plymouth AC Match Race Championship begins on Wednesday. The teams sail a combination of fleet and match races over three days to qualify for Saturday’s match racing finals. The event culminates with the AC World Series Plymouth Championship, one winner-takes-all fleet race for the title on September 18.

Spectators are expected in the thousands, both on the water and along the shoreline. The race course will be very close to shore, inside the breakwater, meaning Plymouth Hoe offers spectacular viewing opportunities. The Race Village will be centered around the waterfront and the Millbay Docks, offering a host of on-shore entertainment, including live coverage of the racing, as well as concerts each evening.

The America’s Cup World Series Plymouth is the second stop in the series. Following Plymouth, the teams will next race in San Diego, California from November 12-20, 2011.

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Newport to host a nine-day event to run June 23 – July 1, 2012

Newport, RI was unveiled today as the final stop of the 2011-2012 AC World Series, which promises to be a dramatic finish to the first season of the new AC45 professional circuit. Designed to expose millions more people to the sport of high-performance racing, the new professional circuit was created to bring the America’s Cup experience to top international venues.

In addition to being the first American host of the high-tech AC45 wing-sailed catamarans in 2012, Newport also has the honor of seeing the first AC World Series circuit champion crowned. The highlight of each AC World Series stop is the spectacular, winner-takes-all, fleet race on final Sunday, where teams put points on the board to take the overall title, so the final race on Sunday, July 1 in Newport could be the ultimate decision maker for the AC World Series champion.

“Newport and Rhode Island have strong historical ties to the America’s Cup, dating back to 1930,” Governor Lincoln D. Chafee said. “Narragansett Bay, one of our state’s most spectacular assets, provides a perfect natural venue, and the ongoing infrastructure improvements at Fort Adams make Newport the ideal host for the final stop of the AC World Series. This exciting event will be a tremendous boost for the Rhode Island economy and continues the relationship between Newport and the America’s Cup.”

Synonymous with the name America’s Cup, the spectacular harbor of Newport, Rhode Island has played host to some of the most legendary America’s Cup battles in the competition’s 160 year-old history. Newport continues to attract the leading yachtsmen and women from around the world annually, hosting some of the world’s major sailing events on its waters. And now, the 2012 AC World Series Newport event brings the America’s Cup experience back to Newport after almost a 20-year absence.

Providing an opportunity to watch the world’s top sailors compete in the state-of-the-art AC45 wing-sailed catamarans, current plans call for holding the racing inside Newport Harbor, with the start/finish line just off the shoreline and spectator access along numerous points on the waterfront.

In addition to its world famous waters, Newport, Rhode Island is a top U.S. tourist destination for domestic and international visitors. Home to spectacular coastal scenery, awe-inspiring architecture, a thriving waterfront downtown, and welcoming hospitality, Newport is considered by many to be a shining gem in the coastal crown of New England. For those whose hearts lie in architecture, design, and history, Newport offers tours of opulent mansions, interesting museums, and a number of walking tours that reveal the Colonial and Gilded Age charm of the city.

“Newport is the cradle of the America’s Cup sailing, so we’re very pleased to bring the AC World Series to the city that first exposed the Cup to the world,” said Richard Worth, Chairman, America’s Cup Event Authority. “We are building upon that rich history through this new professional circuit to accelerate the global appeal of the America’s Cup.”

The AC World Series features tight, short racecourses designed to deliver close racing for the fans on shore as well as the online and TV audiences. The innovative regatta format includes a mix of speed trials, head-to-head match racing, and all-out fleet racing with 9 identical AC45s on the line. These events provide the fans the only opportunity to see all of the America’s Cup competitors racing together.

The forerunner to the next generation of America’s Cup boats, the AC45 wing-sailed catamaran is the official boat of the AC World Series. While capable of closing speeds over 35 mph, the AC45 remains nimble enough to handle the tight, tactical race courses planned by America’s Cup Race Management (ACRM).

The AC World Series Newport stop is the result of Rhode Island Governor Lincoln D. Chafee’s leadership of interagency collaboration between the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, Department of Environmental Management and Department of Administration. The event will be supported by key public and private organizations including the City of Newport, Newport Chamber of Commerce, and the state’s hospitality, tourism, sailing and marine trades communities, as well many other organizations.

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Energy Team has officially become Challenger for the 34th America’s Cup.
Launched and run by Loïck and Bruno Peyron, this challenge is backed by the prestigious Yacht Club de France. The construction of the first AC72 multihull will begin at the Multiplast yard in Vannes on the 1st September.

Within a month of the official announcement last September that the America’s Cup was to be raced aboard multihulls, the Peyron brothers announced that they wanted to bring French know-how together to set up a Challenge to attempt to win the prestigious trophy. That is exactly what they have now achieved.
Energy Team, the new French challenge set up around Bruno and Loïck Peyron, has been officially registered for the 34th America’s Cup since 27th January 2011. It has become the sixth Challenger aiming to grab the silver ewer.
Energy Team backed by the Yacht Club de France
The America’s Cup has always been a challenge between yacht clubs. Loïck and Bruno Peyron will be benefiting from some prestigious support, as it is the Yacht Club de France, which is taking the Energy Team challenge to the Golden Gate Yacht Club in San Francisco. Energy Team will have everything going for them to defend French hopes, and aims to be one of the most competitive Challengers starting at the Louis Vuitton Cup events. Energy Team’s ambition is to do all it can to take part in the next two editions and to win the America’s Cup. Bruno Peyron is the project’s general manager, Loïck the official skipper of the boats, will also be in charge of the Design Team.

The AC72 to be built at Multiplast
To fulfil this ambition, Energy Team has signed an exclusive partnership with Multiplast, the boatyard based in Vannes (Brittany), which is one of the international references in the world of multihull construction (Orange I and II, Groupama 3). The Multiplast yard will be reserved for Energy Team. The construction of the first AC72 catamaran will begin on 1st September with her launch planned for April 2012. Yann Penfornis, managing director of the yard, will be coordinating the AC 72 design and construction teams, under the supervision of Loïck Peyron.
The first AC 45, the little sister to the AC 72, will be delivered to Energy Team in March 2011, so they may begin training in Auckland.

19 multihulls training
To train and then to race, Energy Team will have at its disposal an impressive fleet of multihulls of all sizes, with seventeen in all available to them: four Class A boats, four F18s, a D35, an X40, a G-Class (the former Orange II), two AC45s and two AC72s… plus four “F25s”, which are a 1/3 scale model of the AC72s, which will be used for the America’s Cup.
The Energy Team base, the nerve centre of the project, will be set up on the Atlantic coast of France. It will include three centres: one in Vannes, the Multiplast yard, which will be the construction and technological development base; one in Lorient, which will be dedicated to the AC72 and G-Class catamarans; and finally one in La Baule, which will both be the main training centre for the squad and the operations centre for all the work with partners and the media.

Core members of the team
The core members of the Racing Team are already in place and bring together a wealth of experience in four major areas that are vital for performance. The core members so far appointed include the following:

Loïck Peyron, skipper of the AC45 and AC72: 6 times F60 world champion, 8 times F28 Trophy Champion winner,

Bruno Peyron: 8 times world ocean records champion, skipper of the G Class, which will be the ambassador for Energy Team,

Yann Guichard: helmsman with Loïck Peyron : Extreme 40 world number 2, Member of the French Olympic team,

Thierry Fouchier: performance team, the only Frenchman to have won the America’s Cup with BMW Oracle Racing aboard which he was the wing sail trimmer.

Jean-Christophe Mourniac: performance team, member of the French Olympic team, one of the world’s top 5 Tornado and F18 racers over the past ten years.

Yves Loday: coach for young talent. Former member of the French Olympic team, he was Tornado gold medallist in Barcelona in 1992. He will be joining the team to prepare the “Youth America’s Cup” that the American Defender is launching.

The executive committee in place
Within the executive committee of Energy Team set up around Loïck and Bruno Peyron, we can find such influential members as Philippe Court, President and Gérard Petipas, Vice-President of the Yacht Club de France, but also various personalities, whose expertise and skills can only be beneficial, from a strategic as well as a marketing, business and legal perspective. François Château, President of the Salans international law firm (in charge of the legal aspects of the project), Erik Maris, from the Messier Maris consulting agency and Thierry Reboul, President of the event management agency Ubibene, which will be taking care of the marketing strategy and partnership packages.
 
Key dates
•    26th October 2010 : 1st announcement made by Loïck and Bruno Peyron
•    27th January 2011 : The Yacht Club de France becomes the official Yacht Club for the ENERGY TEAM challenge
•    27th January 2011 : ENERGY TEAM, 6th official challenger
•    March 2011 : Official closing date for registrations
•    March 2011 : Launch of the first Energy Team AC45
•    June 2011 : Start of the AC World Series
•    April 2012 : Launch of the first Energy Team AC72
•    13th July to 1st September 2013 : San Francisco, Louis Vuitton Cup.
•    7th to 22nd September 2013 : San Francisco, final match

Quotes :

Philippe Court, President of the Yacht Club de France: “ …after attempting without success to bring together the two potential teams that have declared themselves, it seemed to us not just the normal thing to do, but a necessity that the YCF and its board support Bruno and Loick Peyron’s project to take a challenge to the Golden Gate Yacht Club by becoming Official Challenger for the 34th America’s Cup.  It was normal because with the new format for the America’s Cup, Bruno and Loick’s list of achievements in multihull racing, a real French speciality, confirms their place, as well as their technical and managerial skills, making these two exceptional sailors the best candidates for a French attempt in the Cup. It is a necessity as it fits in perfectly with the mission of the YCF to take part in any attempt, where France (finally) has a serious chance of seizing victory in the America’s Cup, after taking part in every edition since 1970.”

Russell Coutts: “It’s fantastic that we’ve got another team in the America’s Cup and what should be a very competitive one. Obviously Loïck and Bruno Peyron have a lot of multihull experience and they know how to campaign these boats and Loïck was very involved in the last America’s Cup. So I think it’s fantastic that they are in this. I know they have been wanting to get into this and it’s great to see they have lodged their entry.”

Richard Worth, CEO America’s Cup Race Management: “The America’s Cup will be presenting the world’s best sailors on the fastest boats and that is why, we are pleased to welcome the Yacht Club de France and the strong Energy Team, which is well-known for its huge experience of multihull sailing.”

The Yacht Club de France,
Founded on 15th June 1867 under the patronage of Emperor Napoleon III, it is one of the most prestigious yacht clubs in France. Among its members, it has included such famous people as Jules Verne, Virginie Hériot, Alain Gerbault, Commander Charcot, Marin-Marie and more recently Eric Tabarly.

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Competition for oldest trophy in international sport once again returns to American waters

San Francisco has been selected as the host venue for the 34th America’s Cup. An official celebration event will be hosted in San Francisco on January 5th, event location details to be announced.

“We sought a venue that fulfills our promise – to showcase the best sailors in the world competing on the fastest boats,” said Richard Worth, Chairman, America’s Cup Event Authority.  “And hosting the America’s Cup in San Francisco will realize that promise.”

“We thank Mayor Newsom, Board President Chiu, Supervisor Mirkarimi and all of the Board of Supervisors, the staff at City Hall and the Port Authority, Mark Buell and San Francisco America’s Cup Organizing Committee, and all who have worked so diligently on securing the bid,” Worth continued. “We look forward to working closely with City of San Francisco over the coming months to create a world-class America’s Cup event, and a large and lasting beneficial impact on the City.”

The world-famous San Francisco Bay will be home to the 2013 America’s Cup Finals and the Challenger Selection Series for the Louis Vuitton Cup, as well as an America’s Cup World Series event in 2012. This will be the first time the America’s Cup has been hosted in the United States since 1995.

“Today is one of great celebration, with San Francisco winning the right to host the America’s Cup, and all of the economic benefit, jobs and excitement that comes with it,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom. “San Francisco is the best place on Earth to host an event of this stature, and we could not be more proud to be the city that brings the America’s Cup back home to the United States.”

Independent studies show that the America’s Cup delivers the third largest economic impact in sport to host countries, behind the Olympic Games and soccer’s World Cup. The 34th America’s Cup is projected to pump an estimated $1.4 billion dollars into the San Francisco region.

“As a native San Franciscan, I grew up sailing in front of the City. Racing for the America’s Cup in San Francisco is something I have dreamt of my whole life,” said Paul Cayard, CEO of Sweden’s Artemis Racing, a challenger for the 34th America’s Cup. “By hosting sailing’s most important event in the Bay, the world will see sailing as it never has before.  As a team, Artemis Racing is particularly looking forward to competing in San Francisco.”

Racing will be held on the iconic San Francisco Cityfront and be visible from world-renown tourist destinations such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, Crissy Field, the Embarcadero and Fisherman’s Wharf. An influx of millions of tourists is expected for the Challenger Series for the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America’s Cup Finals in late 2013.

“My support for San Francisco hosting the America’s Cup goes beyond the opportunity to see our team competing on home waters,” said Russell Coutts, CEO, ORACLE Racing, the current America’s Cup defending team. “We are excited to sail for our sport’s greatest trophy, on a stretch of water legendary among sailors worldwide.”

The Race Village will be constructed on Piers 19 and 29, with the team bases at and around Pier 30/32.  As part of the plan, the America’s Cup Event Authority will redevelop these piers as well as the surrounding infrastructure to support the racing, while rehabilitating the piers for the enjoyment of generations of San Franciscans to come.

With a goal of creating the most dynamic America’s Cup in history for fans and participants, changes have been introduced to the 34th edition. Enhancements include the introduction of groundbreaking new 72′ wing-sailed catamarans capable of speeds in excess of 40 miles per hour, new race formats and rules, and a transformed media and online broadcasting approach to enable an interactive viewer experience.

In the summer of 2011, America’s Cup teams will commence racing in the new America’s Cup World Series in the new wing-sailed AC45 catamaran. The America’s Cup World Series calendar of events will be published in early 2011.

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