The SSL GOLD CUP, the 1st “FOOTBALL WORLD CUP” in sailing will be held at the stunning Island of Gran Canaria from the 10 of November and the 3rd of December 2023 in collaboration with the Real Federación Canaria de Vela.
BY SAILORS FOR SAILORS
Inspired by the Football World Cup, the SSL GOLD CUP offers THE ultimate challenge for sailors by officially designating and crowning the World Champion of Sailing Nations.
THE 1ST “MUNDIAL” IN SAILING
So, after football in 1930, and rugby in 1987, sailing is ready to launch its “Mundial” in 2023 with the SSL Gold Cup in a 25 day long competition among nations. Like the Football World Cup, the SSL Gold Cup aims to make national pride resonate in a sporting and friendly manner and is ready to become one huge media showcase for the sport of sailing every 4 years.
REWARDING SPORTING SKILLS
Like the major World Cups in other sports, the SSL Gold Cup will be an equal opportunity event with no social, geographical, financial, or cultural discrimination. The conditions will be the same for all teams, with identical big racing boats (the SSL47) and training made available free of charge to all teams.
40 NATIONS AND 25 OLYMPIC MEDALLISTS
In Gran Canaria, 40 teams will compete in the SSL Gold Cup Finals, including the world’s top 24 sailing nations in the SSL Ranking, plus 16 teams who came through the Qualifying Series, held from May to July 2022. Just as with the pinnacle event in football, each team will be wearing the colors of their nation and their emblems. Each team includes 11 athletes which means more than 400 sailors, counting amongst their crews’ Olympic medalists and World Champions multiple inshore sailing classes.
THE CANARY ISLANDS, A STUNNING VENUE (FOR THE SSL GOLD CUP)
The stunning venue in the Canary Islands enjoys superb winds, sunshine, and temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius during that time, making it the ideal location to host the SSL Gold Cup.
TESTIMONIALS
José Javier Sanz Fernández, President of the Real Federación Española de Vela said:
“The Real Federación Española de Vela is pleased that the first edition of the SSL Gold Cup will be held in Gran Canaria. This designation recognizes the sporting and organizational prestige of the Real Federación Canaria de Vela, a guarantee for the success of the event. Furthermore, the fact that an international level championship such as the SSL Gold Cup is undertaking its innovative and spectacular format in our waters will undoubtedly reinforcement participation in the sport of sailing for which we all work.
“At a sporting level, it is with pride that our country is represented by leading figures in national sailing, led by the tandem of Olympic gold medalist Luís Doreste together with Olympian and Volvo Ocean Race winner Roberto Bermúdez de Castro.”
Rafael Bonilla, President of the Canarian Sailing Federation said:
“For the Royal Canarian Sailing Federation, the choice of the island of Gran Canaria as headquarters of the final phase of the SSL Gold Cup is magnificent news that reaches the entire archipelago, as it puts the islands on the map of top-level sports. The SSL Gold Cup also represents a great promotion for the sport of sailing, for whose Canary Islands practice offers the ideal framework.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, capital of the island hosting the regatta, is the third city of Spain by number of Olympic medals, with seven golds in sailing, and the Canary Islands is the second community in the country, after the Balearic Islands, that has the most high-level athletes in sailing.
An emblem of this island tradition is the captain of the Spanish team in the SSL Gold Cup, double Olympic medalist Luis Doreste Blanco who was born in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, and was raised sailing in these waters.
The Canarian climate and sea are known for their excellent sailing conditions, which makes the archipelago a regular destination for sailors from either side of the Atlantic.”
The Royal Canarian Sailing Federation will put all its enthusiasm and professionalism into the event so that it is a success and a great competition experience.”
Luis Doreste, SSL Gold Cup Event Ambassador and SSL Team Spain Captain added:
"We are very happy that this first edition of the SSL Gold Cup is in Spain and specifically in Gran Canaria, an island with a great nautical tradition and from which great sailors have emerged."
"I hope it will be a great event, just as it has been until now with previous regattas in which the different teams have participated in recent years."
"It is a very attractive event, and we hope it draws in many fans who can enjoy it, since there will be teams with very high-level sailors. It will surely be a success."
Paul Cayard, American Sailing Legend who won the Louis Vuitton cup and Volvo Ocean Race:
"The SSL Gold Cup is what sailing was missing to challenge sailors and make it universal”
MORE
Website : Starsailors.com
SSL GOLD CUP WEBSITE will open on 1st October
Live Coverage on each racing day from 10th November
Panini booklet will be available 1st October
Game will be available from 1st November
Mark has been managing sailing websites since 1996, always being at the forefront of technology, and now manages the combined Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com network. He has covered events such as the International Moth World Championship and Cowes Week, focusing on the sailors' thoughts and words. Mark has been European Champion in the Farr 30 & J/24 class and has won numerous UK titles, and competes regularly in local and national events in dinghies and sportsboats.