05 Aug, 2010

Preparations for Louis Vuitton Trophy Hong Kong regatta to stop

The World Sailing Teams Association, together with Louis Vuitton and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, will not develop the proposed Louis Vuitton Trophy Hong Kong any further.

The proposed world class sailing event, featuring some of the top racing teams in the world competing in Version 5 America’s Cup class boats, would have been scheduled for Victoria Harbour in January 2011. It has become clear however, that many of the teams involved are focusing their resources on their preparations for the 34th America’s Cup.

The Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas have provided sailing teams and their partners with high level racing whilst the 33rd America’s Cup held in Febuary 2010 was limited to one defender and one challenging team.

Now, the America’s Cup is back on track as a multi-team event with fair rules managed by a neutral authority and multiple America’s Cup Championship regattas culminating in the next Match. The new holder of the America’s Cup, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club, will confirm the venue of the 34th America’s Cup, and timing (2014 or 2013) later this year.

A South East Asia venue is under consideration for one of these ACC regattas.

WSTA and the Louis Vuitton Trophy would like to thank both the Hong Kong government and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club for the efforts they have made to date and the commitment they have shown in the preliminary planning stages for the event.

Building on the success of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series held in February 2009, the World Sailing Teams Association, in conjunction with Louis Vuitton, has already held three Louis Vuitton Trophy events in Nice, France, in Auckland, New Zealand and in La Maddalena, Italy.

The last regatta will be held in the United Arab Emirates in Dubai.

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