THE AMERICA’S CUP RETURNS TO ST MARK’S BASIN IN 2013

Big sailing will again be starring in St Mark’s Basin. Next year the St Mark’s area will again be able to enjoy the sports show offered by the hyper-technological catamarans that will sail in the America’s Cup - World Series. The America’s Cup event will again be held in the lagoon in 2013, from 13 to 21 April, featuring the second City of Venice Trophy in the first week, with practice races on 15 and 16 April, and the qualifying races for the World Series the week after, from 16 to 21 April 2013. The Arsenale and St Mark’s Basin will again be at the centre of what is one of the most renowned sports competitions in the world. The mayor of Venice, Giorgio Orsoni, emphasised to the local press the success of the 2012 event, during which there were 400,000 visitors to the city during its nine days. More than 100,000 visitors were counted at the Arsenale (with peaks of 16,000 per day), which was almost entirely open to the public for the first time. There were 3600 boats registered to anchor alongside the race and more than 121,500 bookings in Venice’s hotels, of which 72,000 in the old city centre.