America's Cup developments

The next America's Cup regatta, where American computer software billionaire Larry Ellison will defend the Auld Mug against a field of up to 12 challengers from around the world, is gradually taking shape -- although no official announcements are expected from the Golden Gate Yacht Club or the BMW Oracle syndicate for at least a month.

The city of San Francisco is desperate to host the regatta on its famous harbour and has already earmarked four different disused wharf complexes around the southern shore of the sprawling waterway which could be converted into America's Cup villages large enough to house up to 15 racing syndicates.

At the weekend the city of San Diego, where Elliston tuned up his giant trimaran before shipping it to Valencia, indicated it wanted to get in on the act and started talking about a combined regatta sailed in both the cities. City officials pointed out that there was ample room within the San Diego harbour to house an America's Cup village.

Rumours in sailing circles suggest that San Francisco is almost certain to get the regatta as the races could be held over short courses in the harbour and easily watched from the shoreline.

In events in the Big Boat series raced on the bay over the past few years, rounding marks have been set so close to the shore that spectators have been able to hear the commands of the skipper and hear the screeching and groaning of the sheets.

The design of the boat for the next regatta is also the subject of much well-informed gossip. The multihulls of last month's regatta are sure to be shelved and the very expensive monohulls used since 12 metre yachts were abandoned have been overtaken by technology.

The suggestion is that a 60 foot box rule could be introduced for the regatta. Such a rule would enable designers the greatest leeway in their ideas. So long as their yacht was a monohull no longer than 60 feet, anything else would be open slather. This could produce yachts as fast as the largest ocean racers.

In other developments, Bruno Trouble, the accomplished French helmsman who has run the Louis Vuitton Cup elimination series for the past 25 years, has indicated that the luxury goods company is likely to resume its sponsorship should a satisfactory set of rules be developed by the Golden Gate Yacht Club.

Image: BMW Oracle Racing