Countdown to Americas Cup World Series San Diego

Countdown to America’s Cup World Series San Diego © ACEA

The world’s best sailors set to compete

In less than three weeks, the America’s Cup World Series (AC World Series) will land in San Diego, a location known for its storied history with the America’s Cup. The nine-day event will mark the third stop in the 2011-2012 America’s Cup World Series, a new professional circuit that has been attracting sailing fans and non-sailors alike with its next generation racing speed machines, the AC45 wing-sailed catamarans.

"We're really excited about the San Diego event. As an American, having a chance to race in the US is always something I look forward to,” said Terry Hutchinson, Skipper, Artemis Racing. “Having the race course inside San Diego Bay gives us the opportunity to show what we do to more people than ever before, so that's also a big bonus and for Artemis Racing, this is another chance for us to hone our skills against top competition as we work towards the America's Cup in 2013."

With multiple vantage points dotted along the shoreline, the city is an ideal location to host the thousands of AC World Series spectators anticipated to watch the first racing of the America’s Cup World Series in the United States. Creating a live-action setting where fans can watch is a key element of this new America’s Cup cycle, and the configuration of San Diego Bay is ideal. There is also a full range of hospitality options for spectators seeking a full-service experience, featuring the America’s Cup Club on the Hornblower Inspiration, which will have an unparalleled view of the sailing action right in the heart of the action with premium benefits.

“San Diego Bay is a prime location for this series because the boats race closer to the shore than just about anywhere else,” said Scott Peters, Chairman, Board of Port Commissioners. “The area of San Diego Bay where the races will take place is located in the heart of San Diego, in downtown. Downtown has more than 100,000 residents and workers and many of them will be able to just walk down to the waterfront to observe the races close up.”

Fans will be greeted by new boats, new formats and a whole new level of racing. As seen at the first two events, the athletes are tested through both fleet and match races as well as Speed Trials that put a premium on physical and mental strength.

Racing begins on November 12-13 with the Port Cities Challenge, an event supported by the Mayors of each of the Port Cities - Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego. The preliminary showdown will allow competitors to gain a feel for the venue and fine-tune their speed. The weekend will culminate on Sunday afternoon with the awarding of the Port Cities Challenge Trophy to the winning team by one of the Port city mayors. In addition to the racing, the America’s Cup Village will be open from 10am to 6pm offering a range of food and beverage and interactive activities.

After two off days, the San Diego Match Racing Championship begins on Wednesday November 16 with three days of racing leading into the Final Championship. The highlight of the event is the final weekend, November 19 and 20, where the teams will compete for the titles of AC World Series San Diego Match and Fleet Race Champion, as well as for the chance to put points on the board for an overall 2011-12 AC World Series win.

Off the water, fans will be treated to a variety of activities and entertainment options at the AC Village with live music every evening, access to sailing stars and interactive displays in a fun-charged festival atmosphere on shore, right at the water’s edge where the boats will be racing. The AC Village will be located on Harbor Drive and Broadway Pier, where fans can also visit ‘pit row’ and see the teams prepare for the day’s racing and crane their boats in and out of the water. The AC Village will be open from 10am to 10pm from November 16th to the 20th.

Entrance to the AC Village is a suggested donation of $10 to help support ocean conservation efforts. The America’s Cup has dedicated its global platform to raising awareness of the issues facing the health of our oceans worldwide and all proceeds of these donations will be split amongst the non-profit organizations who are partnering with the America’s Cup: OceanElders, Mission Blue, Aquarium of the Bay, Sailors for the Sea, and IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Televised to expose millions more fans to the sport of high-performance sailing, the AC World Series is a regular circuit of regattas that will bring America’s Cup-level racing and experience to top international venues. At the end of each AC World Series season, a champion will be crowned. These events provide the fans the only opportunity to see all of the America’s Cup competitors racing together.

The AC World Series will be sailed in the AC45, the forerunner to the next generation of America’s Cup boats, the AC72. Focused on creating more on-the-water excitement for both the teams and the fans, the AC45 wing-sailed catamaran was designed for both speed and close racing. While capable of closing speeds of over 30 mph, the AC45 remains nimble enough to handle the tight, tactical race courses planned by America’s Cup Race Management.

For travel, transportation and San Diego information, please visit www.americascup.com/SanDiego