China Team: Press Release
Russell Coutts Visits
America's Cup legend Russell Coutts joins China Team in Sanya, China
Press Release
Sanya, China, April 5, 2012
Today, China Team announced that Russell Coutts, CEO of the current America’s Cup champions Oracle Racing-Team USA and the most successful skipper in the 161 year history of the America’s Cup, will be attending the Hainan Rendez-Vous 6-8 April, 2012 in Sanya, China.
The Olympic Gold medalist and four-time winning skipper will be a special guest of honor of China Team, the official and exclusive Chinese challenger for the 2013 America’s Cup in San Francisco, as well as VIP at the Hainan Rendez-Vous. Coutts will speak to the invitation-only audience of the main gala dinner about the upcoming challenge in San Francisco for the oldest trophy in international sport, the America’s Cup and how a Chinese challenger is key to the event.
“A Chinese challenger for the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco speaks to both the growth of the sport and the strength of the venue. We are looking forward to China Team’s participation and the healthy competition it will bring,” said Russell Coutts.
China Team chairman, Mr. Wang Chaoyong is delighted to be the host for Russell Coutts in China, as China is a growing market for all things sailing (yachts and motorboats) and with more and more Chinese taking to the sea, China will very soon become an important country for water sports. “China Team is developing its team of both international and Chinese sailors, and will be the only team to require a national crew mandate; we have committed that most sailors on China Team during the America’s Cup will be Chinese, to reflect the growing interest that China is taking on this sport” says Mr. Wang. “Having Russell Coutts supporting China Team in our home country really shows how important China Team is to the America’s Cup. We value his support tremendously”.
About China Team
Five years after China entered the America’s Cup race for the first time; China is back in the competition with China Team under the leadership of Chairman Wang Chaoyong and led by the 25 year America’s Cup veteran Thierry Barot. This new challenger team will feature mainly Chinese sailors, on a China-built boat.
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 around the Isle of Wight, 45 years before the modern Olympics. The U.S. yacht America won, giving the international sailing competition its name.
The 2013 race will be the first time the competition for the America’s Cup will be held in San Francisco, a perfect natural sailing arena where more than one million spectators will see the 34th edition of the America’s Cup.
About the Hainan Rendez-Vous
China’s largest yacht show is an annual four-day event that draws China's ultra-high net worth individuals to the Riviera-like shores of Sanya for an unforgettable experience of intensive networking, fabulous entertainment, and big ticket shopping and lifestyle discovery. The event facilitates a social platform for financial elites and their international counterparts.
---- From ACEA on behalf of China Team
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