US Sailing and the America’s Cup Form New Partnership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jake Fish
US Sailing Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
Special America’s Cup Spectator Benefits Provided to US Sailing Members
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (December 12, 2012) – US Sailing, the national governing body of the sport, and the America’s Cup, rich in history, tradition and excellence, and the oldest trophy in international sport, have entered a new partnership.
The America’s Cup will provide US Sailing members with special rights to purchase VIP hospitality tickets to America’s Cup events taking place in the U.S. These events include the 2013 America’s Cup Finals in September in San Francisco Bay, Louis Vuitton Cup, America’s Cup Challenger Series, and the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup. US Sailing members will also be invited to join the America’s Cup Fan Club, gaining exclusive benefits.
US Sailing and the America’s Cup will work collectively on efforts to provide awareness for those interested in learning to sail and information on how sailors can further their opportunities to go sailing. In early 2013, US Sailing will create a special website that connects visitors of http://www.americascup.com/ to an online hub where fans can access “Learn to Sail / Where to sail” content.
Representatives of the America’s Cup will speak at various US Sailing Roadshow events at select locations on the west coast in the summer of 2013. US Sailing’s Roadshow crew makes stops at sailing venues with goals of promoting the overall enjoyment and accessibility of sailing, interacting with sailors in a variety of ways, and educating sailors of the programs and services provided by US Sailing.
“We are thrilled to engage with passionate America’s Cup fans around the country who are excited about the Cup being decided in U.S. waters next year,” said Jack Gierhart, US Sailing Executive Director. “Members of US Sailing will have a special, unique opportunity to watch America’s Cup events and enhance their overall spectator experience. The America’s Cup is a celebration of great sailboat racing and we believe these events will inspire newcomers to learn more about our sport and current sailors to get out on the water.”
"The America's Cup is back in America for the first time since 1995,” said Stephen Barclay, CEO of America's Cup Event Authority. “The strength of the challenging teams, and the transformed America's Cup with extreme performance AC72s competing in San Francisco, means this will be one of the most keenly anticipated competitions in years. By working with the sport's national authority here in the U.S., we'll connect directly with committed fans and be able to channel the interest of new fans to ways they can experience sailing for the first time themselves."
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
About the America’s Cup
One of the most fiercely competitive and sought after trophies in all of sport, the America’s Cup was first raced in 1851, 45 years before the modern Olympics. The U.S. yacht America won, giving the international sailing competition its name.
The next Louis Vuitton Cup, America’s Cup Challenger Series (July-August 2013), leading to the America’s Cup Finals (September 2013), will be held for the first time in San Francisco Bay, a natural sailing arena, in AC72 wing sail catamarans...
The associated America’s Cup World Series is a global circuit of events where the teams race AC45 catamarans for a season championship. ORACLE TEAM USA won the 2011-12 title. The 2012-13 season opened with events in San Francisco in August and October and continues with races in Naples, Italy and the USA in the spring of 2013.