Decision for 2017 America’s Cup venue coming soon

The choice is down to two prospective sites for the staging of the next America’s Cup: our own fair city of San Diego, and Bermuda, the U.K.-owned island in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. The final decision by the committee charged with making the call will be made soon and the Port of San Diego has released a slick video extolling the virtues of America’s Finest City as the venue for the 35th staging of the Cup, coming in 2017.

The type of craft that will be used in the 2017 Cup are catamarans with extended hydrofoils. The ships will stand up over the waves and ride the foils, able to race even in winds below 10 knots. The new America’s Cup vessels will be ten feet longer than those used in the 2013 competition, as long as 62 feet.

With the competition staged out in the Pacific from the Point Loma coast, the Cups of 1995, 1992 and 1988 were hosted by San Diego. Part of the pitch to select the 2017 location is our town’s experience in hosting big-time sporting events such as three Super Bowls, two World Series and the 2008 U.S. Open golf tournament.

Should San Diego be selected for this next America’s Cup, the yacht race will be held on San Diego Bay, roughly in between the downtown Embaradero and Harbor Island. This is the course that was used in 2011 for the America’s Cup World Series, contested with 45-foot long catamarans.

According to Sir Russell Coutts, current CEO of Oracle Team USA, defenders of the Cup, the choice will be made by the end of 2014. Coutts himself is a former skipper and current man in charge of America’s Cup projects. He won the trophy away from the U.S. in San Diego back in 1995, while he was captain of Team New Zealand. That was his first of five America’s Cup wins, as both skipper and CEO, twice for Oracle Team USA. He owns a house in Coronado.