Sir Keith Mills, the British businessman who ran London’s winning bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, announced he is to create a new 150 Million Euro British America’s Cup sailing team with Ryan, of the Royal St. George YC, as one of its management team.
Britain has had a poor record in the America's Cup over the last 155 years,with the last British challenger being the GBR Challenge led by Peter Harrison who committed a personal fortune of 20 million to the failed attempt.
The current line up of challengers in Valencia, who willbattle it out to determine which team challenges the Swiss teamAlinghi, holders of the Cup, in June does not include a British team.
The new team, to be named Origin, will comprise some of the world’s leading sailors and boat designers but these will not necessarily be British, says Ryan. The aim is to win the America’s Cup and bringing the world’s longest running sporting event back to British shores for the first time.
Ryan, as the new head of marketing and branding, was involved in Harrison's GBR campaign and she personally raised 10 million in private sponsorship.
The Origin budget says Ryan is now over 30 million per annum and it will need to run, if necessary, until 2011 as the next cup date – after July 2007 – is not yet fixed.
“We intend to build a team capable of winning the America’s Cup to ultimately bring the Cup back to Britain for the first time since 1851. Britain is the world’s leading sailing nation and we hope this is the dawn of an exciting venture that will create sporting history. Keith Mills said yesterday.
The reason that we have announced our launch today is that there is much to be done while the current 32nd America’s Cup competition is underway. We will be contracting team members, establishing our UK base, acquiring the necessary assets and discussing the opportunity with prospective syndicate members and sponsors. In essence, we are officially ‘open for business!” he added.
Talks are being held with potential skippers including Ian Walker, the skipper of GBR challenge and the current skipper of Galway's TP 52 world championship winner Patches owned by Eamon Conneely.
However the talks will ultimately focus on how Origin can sign Ben Ainslie, Britain's Olympic Gold medallist, a hands down favourite for the helmsmans post if he is not contractually tied to another campaign.
There will be a bigger than normal presence at this morning's first day at the London boat show with Irish dealers on all of the major yacht stands.
The Show runs until 14 January 2007 at ExCeL London. More details on www.londonboatshow.com
The show includes a number of Irish exhibitors too including Waterways Ireland, Carrickcraft, and Experience Ireland, a stand funded by Failte Ireland that includes a number of sail training and boat hire firms.
The founder of Glenans Irish Sailing Club, Hélène Viannay, who died on Christmas day was responsible for introducing over 40,000 people in to sailing in Ireland since she formed the club here in 1969 and is credited with making sail training accessible here.
A civil ceremony was held yesterday at the crematorium at the Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.
