How about Durban too?

Team Shosholoza's Captain Salvatore Sarno suggests a follow-up to the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series

Team Shosholoza is among the first of the 2007 America's Cup challengers to accept an invitation to compete in a new international match racing regatta, the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, to be held in Auckland, New Zealand early next year.

The South African's have also mooted the idea of a similar follow-up event to be held in home waters off Durban in 2009.

"I was informed directly about the Auckland series by Bruno Trouble of Louis Vuitton when I was in Paris recently," said Team Shosholoza principle Captain Salvatore Sarno. "Of course I accepted their invitation. It is very exciting news and I have expressed my satisfaction to Bruno for the magnificent idea. In fact it is the best news we've had since the end of the 32nd America's Cup in Valencia last year. I have also suggested to Bruno that he start to think about a Louis Vuitton Indian Ocean Cup to be raced here in Durban in May-June 2009."

Sarno said a high-profile event like this would present another "very good opportunity for Shosholoza to continue to showcase South Africa ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup."

In the meantime Team Shosholoza will plan to be in New Zealand from 22 January for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series which will be held from January 31 to February 14.

"There are still a lot of logistics to be worked out. If the proposed 33rd America's Cup had gone ahead as planned for 2009 we would already have been racing. But this is good for bringing the team together again and especially that we will be racing against other America's Cup teams. We look forward to it," said Captain Sarno.