The Red Bull Youth America’s Cup will be held from September 1 to 4, 2013. The event will start with a Selection Series Trials in San Francisco in February. To be sure that the best of the best are on the starting line of the main event, the Selection Series Trials will narrow the field through a rigorous training workshop and regatta, which will take place from February 9 to 24, 2013.
34th America's Cup - America's Cup World Series Venice 2012 - Red Bull launches Youth America's Cup© ACEA 2012/ Photo Gilles Martin-Raget
“Prospective teams can enter the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup in three ways,” explains Iain Murray, the Regatta Director for the 34th America’s Cup. “First, they can enter through an affiliation with a current AC World Series team. Second, they can purchase an AC45 and register a team. Or finally, they can apply and qualify through the Selection Series.”
Currently there are over 20 teams from 17 nations who have applied in the third category and are eligible for the Selection Series (Full details of the final entry list will be released in December). But before they even get to the Selection Series Trials, these teams will need to convince the Race Committee they have the talent and wherewithal to succeed.
“We want to ensure we have the most talented line-up possible,” Murray says. “So we’ve enlisted Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher, double Olympic gold medalists in the Tornado catamaran, to manage the selection process as Sport Directors for the event. They’ll be visiting the prospective teams between now and February to assess their capabilities and guide their training programs.”
Roman Hagara© Red Bull Content Pool
“We need to be sure only the best of the best are coming to San Francisco in February to compete for the coveted spots that will be available for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup in September 2013,” Hagara said.
“These teams need to prove to us they have the talent, the commitment and the drive to potentially win the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup next year,” added Steinacher.
The Selection Series will be held in San Francisco on the same AC45 wingsail catamarans the teams will race in September. These are also the same boats the America’s Cup crews are racing in the AC World Series. For the youth teams who come to San Francisco in February, the Selection Series is the first step on the pathway to competing for one of the most prestigious trophies in all of sport – the America’s Cup.
Hans-Peter Steinacher© Red Bull Content Pool
“Breaking into the Cup is hard,” ORACLE TEAM USA skipper Jimmy Spithill commented in announcing the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup. “So I think this is one of the most exciting developments in the America’s Cup in a very long time.”
The next milestone for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup comes next month when the entry list for youth squads associated with AC World Series teams is finalized following the close of late entries on 31 October. This will determine the number of spots remaining for teams competing in the Selection Series.
Red Bull Youth America’s Cup – Upcoming milestones:
October 31, 2012 – Close of late entries
Early November 2012 – Confirmation of entry list for Red Bull Youth America’s Cup teams associated with AC World Series teams
Early December 2012 – Confirmation of youth teams invited to Red Bull Youth America’s Cup Selection Series
February 9-24, 2013 – Red Bull Youth America’s Cup Selection Series in San Francisco
September 1-4, 2013 – Red Bull Youth America’s Cup in San Francisco
