Ireland proposed as future hosts for Switzerland's defence of America's Cup

IRELAND is bidding to host yachting's prestigious America's Cup following the success of the Swiss-based Alinghi off the coast of New Zealand at the weekend.

As land-locked Switzerland cannot host the event, the Secretary General of the Irish Sailing Association, Paddy Boyd has written to the owner of Alinghi, billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, asking him to consider Ireland as a potential venue for the title defence in three years time.

"I wrote to him before they won the event, asking him to consider us as a venue in the event of their success," Mr Boyd said yesterday.

The guardianship of the trophy and the event shifted to Alinghi and the Société Nautique de Genève, with their 5-0 win over Team New Zealand on Sunday.

The first indications of how the Alinghi defence will be run will be known later this afternoon with the release of new Cup protocol.

Mr Boyd said that a number of issues will have to be considered before any decision can be made. But he remains confident that Ireland can mount a powerful bid for the sport's most coveted trophy.

"The America's Cup must be competed on the sea or on an arm of the sea, so Bertarell and the Société Nautique de Genève will begin looking for a venue.

Obviously the Mediterranean will come in for consideration given its closeness to Switzerland but indications are that they will explore options throughout Europe," Mr Boyd said.

"There are a number of factors to be considered," the ISA secretary general added. "The area must have reasonably good weather. There must be reasonable landscape for each syndicate, for their facilities and for their back-up teams. The issue, for example with the Med is that these areas are well developed and are costly.

"The Swiss will also hope to host it somewhere neutral and not give advantage to nations like France or Italy, who may themselves be competing."

Mr Boyd believes that Ireland can easily match the requirements of the organisers.

"Ireland has a very good track record of hosting and managing these type of events. In particular, Cork has the ideal conditions both on water and on land, with the dockyard in Cobh and the deep water harbour. Cork also has a great reputation for hosting such events and the weather usually provides for reasonable racing conditions.

"We will track the situation in the coming days and months and obviously today's documents will tell a lot as to how the defence will operate, " he said.

Cowes, the home of the America's Cup are expected to bid as will ports in the Mediterranean such as Sardinia and Marseilles.