focus on portsmouth 19
As host of the America‘s Cup, it‘s a city in the global spotlight
Sir Keith Mills (right) set his sights on bringing the America‘s Cup back to Great Britain in 2007. He formed and chairs TEAMORIGIN Events, is a shareholder and investor in Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) and has taken on the responsibility of hosting and delivering the America‘s Cup World Series events in Portsmouth in 2015 and 2016
This summer some of the world‘s finest sailing action comes to Portsmouth. For those who recall London 2012, there‘s a frisson of excitement because it is going to be comparable with that spectacle and place one of the Solent region‘s premier cites on the global stage.
The America‘s Cup World Series (ACWS) will begin in Portsmouth on the weekend of July 25-26 after the opening event in Sardinia was cancelled.
The America‘s Cup is the oldest trophy in world sport, with the inaugural event taking place off the Isle of Wight in 1851
The concept of ACWS events 2015-16 was introduced during the 34th America‘s Cup. The impact was significant and the global circuit allowed for a larger number of fans, media and businesses to get involved, see the racing and onshore action close up, therefore increasing the event‘s profile.
Mills, deputy chairman of London 2012, is bringing all this and more to Portsmouth. Part of Southsea Common will be turned into a race village with a viewing platform and large screens, while on the water, zones will be put in place for spectators.
The America‘s Cup is the oldest trophy in world sport, with the inaugural event taking place off the Isle of Wight in 1851. Britain has never won it, something Ben Ainslie, the UK‘s most decorated Olympic sailor who helped Oracle Team USA win the America‘s Cup in 2013, is looking to end in 2017 with his team in Bermuda. Mills has been instrumental in recruiting experts like Martin
Whitmarsh, former CEO of the McLaren Group, now working alongside Ainslie as CEO.
”I think that by bringing the America‘s Cup to the UK in 2015 and 2016 we can really engage the public, so when we come around to the final in 2017, both the audience and support will be massive. The prospect of winning is absolutely within our grasp with the right people around Ben.”
Portsmouth is home to some of the world‘s most famous ships – HMS Victory and the Mary Rose – so what will summer‘s events bring to the city and wider regional economy?
”The great thing about a major sporting event is that it attracts a large amount of TV coverage. It will profile Portsmouth and the surrounding region at its best, bringing worldwide exposure that money can‘t buy,” said Mills.
”Parts of the city are known for deprivation, yet this will showcase Portsmouth as vibrant. As a corporate hospitality event, it is a critical environment. There are big businesses in and around Portsmouth and hundreds of
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – JUNE 2015
thousands of visitors are going to go home as ambassadors for the city.
”We are going to use the team to create a business hub around the marine industry. This is a high-octane sport which will benefit Portsmouth and change its image. Races are 30-minutes long and you get fantastic action close-ups which bring the sport to life.”
Mills is a keen amateur sailor, but had limited exposure to elite sports until the London Olympics, having made his money from commercial enterprises (Nectar, Airmiles). He views major sporting events as something which reach young people: ”They are inspirational. That came out of London 2012. I want to present sailing to young people in an attractive way and Ben, of course, will become an even bigger role model.”
London 2012 brought sporting pride back to the UK and it can be developed, although it takes an entrepreneurial investor to make things happen.
Having started two charitable foundations after the Olympic Games, the 1851 Trust, in particular, will harness the power of the sport and sporting personalities to lure young people away from contemporary distractions.
Looking beyond the obvious, Mills concluded: ”Sailing isn‘t just about boats, science, technology and engineering opportunities can engage young people in a great marine industry career, by offering qualifications, creating pathways into apprenticeships and skilled training, and ultimately, jobs in the wider sporting and maritime sector.
”The 1851 Trust, supported by BAR, aims to inspire and engage a new generation to become innovators of the future, as well as stewards of the marine environment.”
Leslie Greenhalgh, ACWS Portsmouth event director, is a guest speaker at The Business Magazine‘s Solent Deals Awards, to be held on June 11, at St Mary‘s Stadium, Southampton.
www.businessmag.co.uk
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