Coutts mulling over suggestion to hold pre-regattas in Malta

Winning the America's Cup (AC) for Switzerland earlier this year, Team Alinghi earned the right to choose the host city from a short list of four bidders.

Valencia, the Spanish Mediterranean port, won the bid to host the final after fierce competition from Cascais, Marseille and Naples, till the very last moments before the announcement was made last week in Geneva.

ISAF Sailor of the World, Russell Coutts succeeded in registering his third successive acquisition of the America's Cup (twice for New Zealand and once for Switzerland).

A few days ago he held a promotional launching in Geneva, detailing the importance of sponsorships for Team Alinghi and a series of pre-regattas, which will enable the syndicates, around 15 so far, to get accustomed to the shores and waves of the Mediterranean.

I was invited for the launching in Switzerland as a TV journalist along with around 350 media personnel from all over the world.

The big characters of the America's Cup also made sure that they were there too. Geneva hosted two prime events, the first one by Team Alinghi and the other was the announcement of the selected host city to organise the America's Cup 2007.

Coutts, heading Team Alinghi's press call, said it is his team's aim to participate in as many regattas as possible with the world's best teams before the next America's Cup.

These pre-regattas will be a mixture of fleet and match races, in a variety of venues, and open to all. Team Alinghi's objectives are to develop two world class teams, both capable of retaining the AC.

Most of the 2003 crew have renewed their contracts, some new sailors were signed as well together with new acquisition Peter Holmberg, ex-Oracle helmsman.

Team Alinghi is a group of designers, technicians, scientists, architects, managers and sponsors/partners. It is most imperative to have the best sponsors who will fork out something like €100 million for the next four years. This is paramount to the quality and credibility for the professionalism of the Alinghi syndicate.

Patiently, and with ease, Coutts answered all the media questions including mine. Pursuing on his earlier statements of pre-regattas in the Mediterranean, I suggested that one of the races be staged in Malta.

His immediate reply was that he will be thinking seriously about it, as it will be in their interest to test and tackle all kinds of winds in the region.

Team Alinghi has also delegated the organisation of the 32nd America's Cup to AC Management. It was two days later then, that Valencia was announced as the chosen city for the 2007 edition.

The America's Cup is in the Mediterranean for the first time in 152 years of existence. This alone means massive change. There are over 300 million people who live less than two hours away from Valencia by air, meaning that the America's Cup is more accessible than ever before.

The pre-regattas will bring America's Cup racing to different venues as these events will be held both in northern and southern Europe, sailing fever spreading all over the entire region.

The move to the Mediterranean means a new perspective for the America's Cup and presents unique challenges to some of the traditional syndicates from the United States, Great Britain and New Zealand who will have to deal with different languages, customs and cultural traditions.

Unique opportunity

It came as no surprise to me then, that Francesco de Angelis (Luna Rossa), Chris Dickson (Oracle), Paolo Cian (Mascalzone Latino), Jochen Scoemanan and Coutts himself, all consented to the excellent idea of racing in Malta, if and when this materialises.

That made me a happy man. The opportunity is there for the taking.

This America's Cup can hand us exposure both in sports and tourism if we play our cards right. But now that we know what's in their minds, we should not let it slip from our hands... the authorities that matter should work for it day and night.

On my part, I will keep my fingers crossed.