Several America's Cup skippers are scheduled to sail in the Allianz Cup on San Francisco Bay from Oct. 24-29, the only U.S. stop on the World Match Racing Tour.
Heading the lineup is New Zealander Chris Dickson, skipper and CEO of San Francisco-based BMW Oracle Racing, the only American team entered in the 2007 America's Cup. Dickson is ranked third in the match-racing standings after winning the season-opening Portugal Match Cup in July.
Other confirmed entrants include Ed Baird and Peter Holmberg, two of the helmsmen for Alinghi of Switzerland, which won the America's Cup in 2003. Baird, an American, is tied for fifth in the standings and Holmberg, from the U.S. Virgin Islands, is a past tour champion.
The current points leader, Frenchman Sebastian Col, is also entered. The helmsman for France's Areva Challenge, he won the Danish Open earlier this month.
The top seven places in the standings are dominated by America's Cup teams, who find the Match Racing Tour valuable for crew training. Other America's Cup teams could be added to the Allianz Cup lineup.
``With an impressive lineup of America's Cup skippers, we can expect some tough racing no San Francisco Bay,'' Dickson said. ``We last raced in San Francisco three years ago at the Moet Cup and experienced great conditions and a terrific turnout of sailing fans.''
Oracle beat Alinghi in the Moet Cup in September 2003.
A total of 16 teams will compete in 35-foot J/105 boats, with crews of five. The winning skipper will earn $25,000 US from a $100,000 purse.
Allianz Group is the main sponsor of the BMW Oracle Racing team.
The America's Cup will be held in Valencia, Spain.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
