America's Cup video competition

By golly, if you’re quick you could be in the running for a trip to Valencia later this month. If you’re under the age of 28, and can get some video in to the America’s Cup Video Competition by July 16, you’ll be considered for the “early entry” prizes of attendance at the 34th America’s Cup on-water video production trials in Valencia, Spain, which are scheduled for July 22-25, 2010. The video does not have to be about yachting.

The promotional video for the competition here contrasts the staid with the sportacular, and the website is looking for video production that will “make the action jump off the television screen and drag the viewer into the next exciting installment of America’s Cup history.” The full competition is open from June 28 until September 28.

San Francisco is certainly excited about the event, having been named last week as the sole US city being considered as the venue for the Cup’s defense. The Golden Gate Yacht Club is the current home of the Auld Mug. The announcement was a disappointment for Newport, Rhode Island, where the Cup had only just been on display, but that city may well host many of the pre-regatta races in the years leading up to the race itself, which will probably take place in 2013 given that the following year will see both the FIFA World Cup and the Winter Olympics on the international sporting calendar.

The Challenger of Record is Club Nautico di Roma, located at the mouth of the Tiber River, just five minutes from Rome’s international airport. Strong expressions of interest in hosting the final event have come from four European countries and are being considered by the Golden Gate Yacht Club and BMW ORACLE Racing, but the Cup has only ever been defended twice outside the Cup holder’s home waters—in 2007 and 2010—and that was because the defender was Switzerland, which is land-locked.

Meanwhile, a twin-track process is under way to develop rules about the boats themselves. According to a recent press release quoting Russell Coutts, CEO of BMW ORACLE Racing: “It would be premature to rule either a monohull or multihull in and the other out at this stage. Which type of boat is best for racing and media impact is one of many evaluations we will be testing over the coming months.” The choice between monohull and multihull will be made after the conclusion of these trials, the first round of which is scheduled for Valencia in late July. Versatile performance in light and strong winds is considered essential to minimize delayed or postponed racing.

As would be the closing of shipping lanes in San Francisco Bay if a repeat of the 2003 incident during a Moet Cup exhibition race is to be avoided. A massive container ship steamed into the middle of the course, forcing the abandonment of the race between BMW/ORACLE owner Larry Ellison and Alinghi owner Ernesto Bertarelli. Nonetheless, SF Bay’s great plus is that it is a natural amphitheater, and the afternoon winds are reliable. And, of course, Ellison’ company is based in nearby Redwood City.

Ellison and Coutts made it clear at their February press conference in San Francisco, when they returned from Valencia with the Cup, that they are planning on feature events being staged in many countries around the world. Coutts said, “That’s not a new idea, although what we are looking at perhaps doing is quite different to last time.”

--ENDS--

© Scoop Media