A worldwide action sports event known as the Extreme Sailing Series (ESS) may be headed to San Diego Bay in October 2017.
The Port of San Diego Board of Commissioners met Wednesday afternoon to discuss the event proposal. A final decision was not yet reached, but they plan to reconvene on August 9, to further discuss the Series.
If the event proposal is approved, this could attract the Series event to San Diego for a five-year period beginning in October 12-15, 2017. A local committee, Extreme Sailing San Diego (ESSD), has put together an event plan for the series to be held in San Diego.
According to ESSD, the races would take place in the San Diego Bay by the Harbor Island. ESSD is hoping to secure space on the northern side of Habor Island. They’ll need room for sufficient dock space, a “pit row” consisting of 40 boats, a laydown area for racing vessels and a crane to move boats. They would like to offer free public parking on the south side of Habor Island as well as paid VIP seating.
ESSD is designing the event to appeal to a wider audience apart from diehard sailing enthusiasts. It will offer a close-up view of the boats from a stadium, and the race course will be held in a small area so that it’s easy for viewers to see all of the action.
There will be eight races, each 10-15 minutes long, according to ESSD. The format is meant to be straightforward and easy to understand for wide audience appeal.
The sailing boats will be 32-foot, lightweight catamarans with wing-like foils mounted under the hull, according to ESSD. These wings can elevate the boat up and out of the water as they increase in speed. The boats are capable of moving rapidly, at three times the speed of the wind. The boats also have a relatively small size which allows for high maneuverability.
Local
To fund the Series, ESSD is requesting a yearly amount of $300,000 from the district. In addition to that, they will also ask that various service fees are waived, such as Harbor Police public safety support and parking space fees near the location.
The London Group, a local consultant, has created a report with analysis on the event's economic impact. In exchange for the District’s investment of funding, the event’s profits are expected to offer a financial return.
This financial return is predicted to range between $307,478 and $528,216. According to the report, those profits include revenue from hotel services, jobs, food and beverage sales, parking expenses and promotional value. The event is expected to create 169 temporary jobs.
OC Sport, a global sports marketing and events company, owns the Extreme Sailing Series. It’s based in the UK, Switzerland and France, according to ESSD. In 2016, the Extreme Sailing Series will be held in eight cities spanning three continents. That includes teams from Great Britain, Omar, Austria, Demark and China.
