'Malta with great potential for top-class regattas' - Coutts

Malta's reputation as an ideal sailing destination has gone from strength to strength lately. The Rolex Middle Sea Race, fast becoming one of the most popular regattas in the Mediterranean, has inevitably lured to our islands some of the best syndicates from around the world including the likes of UK maxi Nokia and Alfa Romeo, billed the top racer around.

They all shared the opinion that our islands have a great potential for top-class races.

Yesterday, this statement was given the thumbs-up from another illustrious personality in the sailing world - Russell Coutts.

This highly successful skipper, accompanied by another top sailor, Paul Cayard, was here this week to take a closer look at the possibility of local organisers staging 2007 America's Cup pre-race regattas in our waters.

Coutts and Cayard toured Malta's sailing facilities and even had talks with government ministers Louis Galea and Francis Zammit Dimech.

The first reactions were encouraging.

Coutts said he was highly impressed with what he saw here and did not rule out that Malta could stage one pre-race regatta.

"This was a short but useful trip," he said yesterday at the Royal Malta Yacht Club.

"Paul and I had a quick look at what this country could offer and our first impressions were positive. Obviously, it is still early for any decision. However, I wouldn't rule out Malta from pre-race regattas.

"There are still many things to be done first. As I said, this was a brief stop-over in Malta... we didn't have enough time to make a thorough evaluation of the climatic conditions and other vital matters in our sport. The early indications look positive though."

Coutts, winner of the last three America's Cups, said the visit to Malta was part of a project to discover potential venues for races. These will lead up to the America's Cup 2007 in Valencia, Spain. Last week, Coutts and Cayard were in Dubai for a similar exercise.

Coutts is regarded as the finest sailor in the world. He skippered Team New Zealand to America's Cup success in 1995 and 2000 before teaming up with Alinghi in 2001 to take the title from the holders last year. The coveted cup was in Europe for the first time in 143 years of competition.

Coutts won all the major honours in sailing including a gold medal in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. There, he topped the single-handed Finn Class thus becoming one of only two sailors to have won an Olympic gold medal and the America's Cup. He shares the privilege with Buddy Melges, of the US.

Coutts also steered German maxi Morning Glory to a race record in the Sydney-Hobart race in 1996 and has won nine world championship titles, his first coming at the 1981 World Youth Championships.

"I have been a very lucky person as I experienced a great deal of success throughout my career," Coutts said.

"If you had to ask me what was my secret I would say that I always enjoyed what I was doing and tried to reach the targets I set. I always have a good time even when I failed to fulfil my goals.

"Today, I had the chance to meet many young Maltese sailors at the Royal Malta Yacht Club, all dreaming to reach the top one day. My message was - keep sailing, have fun and don't stop dreaming because you'll never know what's around the corner. When I was young I never thought of becoming a national champion but in the end I finished with an Olympic gold medal."

During the last 12 months, Coutts was all over the globe to promote Alinghi's campaign.

Soon, he will go back to the job he enjoys most... sailing Alinghi.

"There are various races coming up. In the next few weeks I will be joining my crew to prepare for these races," he said.

"The next America's Cup is in three years' time but at Alinghi we've already started preparing - we intend to keep the trophy in our cabinet a little bit longer!"