San Diego Port Officials To Discuss America’s Cup

The San Diego Unified Port District commissioners are scheduled to discuss a proposal by a local group to host the America’s Cup in 2017.

The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting includes an item listed as ”Resolution Proclaiming Support for America’s Cup 35 Event in 2017 and direction to staff.”

Port officials didn’t respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Tuesday’s meeting would be a preliminary step. If the commissioners decide to proceed, it’s expected they would direct the port staff to begin discussions with America’s Cup officials.

SEA San Diego has proposed that the 35th America’s Cup be sailed on San Diego Bay in August 2017. The group organized an America’s Cup World Series regatta in November 2011 and a regatta in the RC44 class in March 2011, both contested on the bay.

The RC44 class was started by Russell Coutts, the five-time America’s Cup winner who is CEO of two-time America’s Cup champion Oracle Team USA.

Coutts recently told The Associated Press that America’s Cup officials are talking with other venues about hosting the 35th America’s Cup in August 2017 because San Francisco officials haven’t offered the same terms as they did for last summer’s regatta, which ended with the American syndicate staging one of the greatest comebacks in sports.

Coutts said he’s not prepared to rule out San Francisco. But he said San Diego, Hawaii and other venues are possibilities for hosting the next America’s Cup.

San Diego hosted the America’s Cup in 1988, 1992 and 1995, with racing on the Pacific Ocean off Point Loma.

The 2013 America’s Cup was the first in the regatta’s long history to be held inshore. A regatta San Diego Bay would continue organizers’ desire to make the racing more TV- and fan-friendly by having it close to shore.

The ACWS regattas were sailed in 45-foot catamarans and the 2013 America’s Cup was sailed in 72-foot cats. Coutts is proposing the next cup be sailed in 60-foot catamarans.

Source: Associated Press – February 5, 2014