The coastal city will host two preparation events leading up to the 35th America’s Cup in 2017
Portsmouth will play host to the America’s
Cup World Series events over the next two years in the run up to the 35th
cup in 2017.
Organisers announced recently that racing
would take place off Southsea during the four-day World Series events in June
2015 and July 2016.
Speaking to The Portsmouth News, Leslie
Greenhalgh from America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth said: “What we’ve got
together is a really public show with lots of other events going on around the
racing. It’s a bit like a rally car but the course is a lot closer.
“They’re going to be 45ft catamarans – they
fly above the water and can be doing anything from 25 to 30 knots.”
Organisers are also hoping to put on a
festival on Southsea Common, close to the finish line, in order to attract even
more visitors to the spectacle.
The news comes just a few months after it
was confirmed that the Ben Ainslie Racing base will be built at the
Camber Dock in Old Portmsouth.
Meanwhile visiting teams will be based at
the Historic Dockyard in Portsmouth Harbour.
Six teams have entered the 35th
America’s Cup so far, including Ben Ainslie Racing, Artemis Racing, Emirates
Team New Zealand, Luna Rossa Challenge, ORACE TEAM USA and Team France.
Sir Ben Ainslie is looking to bring the
America’s Cup home to Britain after a successful campaign onboard ORACLE TEAM
USA last year as tactician.
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