Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, Peter Rutter, has announced the Admiral's Cup 2003 event will now be run from Cowes and not Dun Laoghaire, in Ireland.
Earlier in the year, it was felt that the event needed a fresh look to continue its appeal as a top-rated international regatta. The change of venue and sailing area would certainly have presented a different challenge to competitors, but it appears problems arose over agreeing "the criteria required to run an event at the highest level of international sailing". The announcement caused disappointment at the Royal St George Yacht Club and Irish Sailing Association, who felt their race management capabilities were being brought into question.
Perhaps the main problem arose over the fact that the Admiral's Cup has always been a RORC-owned regatta run with assistance from a local yacht club. Had the event gone to Dun Laoghaire, it would not have been on the same basis as the premier Irish regatta, Ford Cork Week, which has to date always been firmly under the control of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.
The Admiral's Cup will take place from July 10th to 23rd 2003, run in co-operation with the Royal Yacht Squadron. The long offshore element will be the 400 mile Wolf Rock Race.
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