America's Cup fans who have not yet made plans for the 2015 summer holidays could now set their sights on British holidays. From 23 to 26 July 2015 and again from 21 to 24 July 2016, two America's Cup World Series (ACWS) regattas will take place in the home territory of Sir Ben Ainslie's British challengers. All the Cup teams on the smaller and now also "flying" AC45 catamarans will meet off the coast of southern England. The results in the 2015 and 2016 World Series influence the seeding of the teams for the qualifying rounds for the 2017 America's Cup and determine the starting points with which the teams start the challenger rounds.
Presenting the British plans at the Oxo Tower in London on Tuesday morning, Sir Keith Mills said: "This will not just be a spectacular sporting event. The series will attract crowds of spectators who want to watch the exciting races. We are planning lots of activities and entertainment elements to give the event a festival feel." Sir Keith Mills, who was instrumental in the success of the London Olympic bid and the success of many other major sporting events in the UK, has supported Ben Ainslie's Cup campaign from the outset.
Sir Ben Ainslie himself is understandably excited about the home event: "As Team BAR, we always wanted to bring America's Cup regattas to England. I would like to thank Sir Keith and his team for making these plans a reality. The last America's Cup World Series was a game changer for sailing. The races were entertaining and thrilled the crowds. The new AC45 hydrofoil boats will be even faster and more exciting than the last generation. We promise an experience like never before - come and cheer us on!"
The two regatta events are to be financed with the help of private investors, sponsors, supporters and media partnerships. The last British ACWS regatta in Plymouth was attended by 150,000 spectators three years ago. The economic and advertising value was estimated at around 60 million pounds.
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Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
