São Paulo – The next edition of America’s Cup, the most traditional regatta in the world, should take place in Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK), in the United Arab Emirates. The choice of the emirate to host the competition, to take place in February 2010, was announced this week by the organizers of the event.
The choice of the site for the next edition of the race is made by the club that won the previous edition. In this case, the choice was by the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG), the owner of the yacht club of Alinghi, which won the last edition of the race, promoted in Valencia, Spain, in 2007. "[RAK] is a venue that offers perfect weather and great sailing conditions," said Fred Meyer, vice-commodore at SNC, according to a press statement issued by the organizers of the event.
To accommodate the teams, the sponsors and spectators, an artificial island covering 22 hectares at the Al Hamra Village complex, in RAK, will be built. "We looked everywhere for a venue that suited the match dates, in February. We had trained in the UAE in the winter with Alinghi before and in the end we settled on Ras al-Khaimah in particular because of the infrastructure in Al Hamra Village and because it has a great building sea breeze during the day, similar to Mediterranean conditions in the summer," said team captain Brad Butterworth.
The 33rd edition of the America’s Cup should be disputed by Alinghi and by challenging team BMW Oracle, from Golden Gate Yacht Club, in San Francisco, in the United States. Up to the date of the event, however, it may all change, as both teams are fighting a battle in the New York Legal System due to several details of the competition.
After the announcement of RAK as the site for the competition, for example, BMW Oracle announced that the choice is against a prior decision of the New York courts and also the document, dating back to the 19th century, that shows the regulation of the race. The dispute is taking place in the American city as that is where the initial document was recorded. The challenging team has informed that it is analysing its options.
According to journalist and sailor César Eugênio Dias, from Florianópolis, America’s Cup normally takes place every four years and the challenger of the champion of the previous edition is the winner of Louis Vuitton Cup, which takes place at the same place and just prior to the main event. This time, however, much of what should be decided on the sea is in the hands of the courts.
According to Dias, the vessels used must be up to a maximum of 90 feet and the winner is usually the best in a series of five races over a pre-determined course marked with floats.
Alinghi should compete in a catamaran, a two-hulled vessel. BMW Oracle, in turn, should compete in a trimaran, a three-hulled vessel. Despite the teams being of a specific nationality, according to Dias, the crews are generally international.
America’s Cup was established in 1851. The first race was organized in England due to the 1851 Great Exhibition, in London. A schooner called America, built by five partners of the New York Yacht Club, competed with the British Royal Yacht Squadron and won the competition, winning the cup, later named America’s Cup, for the United States.
RAK is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. The emirate has a population of around 300,000 inhabitants and an area of 1,700 square kilometres.
*Translated by Mark Ament
