America’s Cup World Series Coming to San Diego

Thursday, 25 August 2011
Contact: Dale Frost (619) 686-6461

The America’s Cup World Series, a high performance, high-speed international sailing regatta, is coming to San Diego Bay.

The races will be held near the downtown waterfront from November 12-20, 2011.

The official announcement was made Thursday, August 25, at the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier, which will serve as the headquarters for the event.

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The close-to-shore fleet races will offer the public free close-up views of the America’s Cup sailing crews who will be competing on the fastest boats—AC45 wing-sailed catamarans.

“San Diego Bay has a proven track record as a perfect venue for this type of action-packed sailing,” said Lou Smith, vice chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners, referring to the RC44 races held here earlier this year.

“The port supports the America’s Cup World Series as part of its goal to ‘activate’ the waterfront around San Diego Bay, providing economic benefit to port tenant businesses and enjoyment to spectators,” Smith said.

San Diego is the first U.S. port to host this next-generation of ultra-fast, high-energy America’s Cup-level racing.

The speed of the boats should appeal to the non-sailing public, as well as the seasoned sailor, said Chuck Nichols, chairman of Sailing Events Association San Diego. The nonprofit group brings major sailing events to San Diego.

“They are catamarans that accelerate like race cars,” said Chuck Nichols.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders said he expects the America’s Cup World Series will bring tens of thousands of people to the waterfront. He said the event is anticipated to have an economic impact of $20 million to the region, according to a San Diego State University report.

San Diego’s America’s Cup World Series is being organized by Sailing Events Association San Diego and the America’s Cup Event Authority.

In addition to the on-the-water action, an America’s Cup village at the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier and other North Embarcadero locations will offer landside entertainment. Included are spectator grandstands, interactive displays, concession booths, musical bands, and family-oriented nightly entertainment. The Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier is located at 1000 North Harbor Drive (map).

The America’s Cup World Series will be sailed this year and next in locations around the globe as a buildup to the 34^th America’s Cup competition that will be held in September 2013 in San Francisco aboard 72-foot catamarans.

During the America’s Cup competition, the U.S. team ORACLE Racing, defenders of the America’s Cup, will race the winners of the Louis Vuitton Cup, the America's Cup challenger series. The Louis Vuitton Cup will be raced in summer 2013 in San Francisco Bay.

The America’s Cup World Series comes to San Diego after competitions in Cascais, Portugal, and Plymouth, England. The series concludes in Newport, Rhode Island in 2012.

Hosting the America’s Cup World Series regatta continues San Diego’s prominent ranking as an international sailing venue—a distinction that dates back more than 20 years to when the America’s Cup races were held offshore of Point Loma in 1988, 1992 and 1995.

Nearly 160 years old, the America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport.

Sailing Events Association San Diego promotes major sailboat racing events in San Diego for the benefit of the local economy.

The America’s Cup Event Authority organizes America’s Cup competitions throughout the world. The Port of San Diego has contributed $316,000 to assist in launching the event.

The Port of San Diego was created by the state Legislature to manage San Diego Bay and surrounding waterfront land in December 1962. The Port has operated without tax dollars since 1970 and has been responsible for $1.5 billion in public improvements in its five member cities—San Diego, Coronado, Chula Vista, National City and Imperial Beach.