Forward planning in complex projects is everything so it was interesting to hear from Sir Keith Mills when I was sailing with him aboard Charles Dunstone’s Hamilton 11 in The Superyacht Cup in Palma recently that a House of Commons Committee has already been established to look at how to handle the America’s Cup if and when the Origin challenge is successful in bringing the Auld Mug back to British shores.

Sir Keith tells me that when the Cup comes home the need to look at regeneration for the port chosen for the defence will obviously require the cooperation of politicians. The advantages of regeneration do, of course, have big political consequences and it is exciting to think that the America’s Cup in Britain could have such a dramatic effect on the chosen location.

Sir Keith is currently waiting with bated breath for the first ten minutes of the opening beat in tomorrow’s first America’s Cup match race. It would be to Origin’s advantage if the Swiss went ahead in that crucial opening exchange and next week when the outcome of the AC becomes clear expect Sir Keith to start executing plans that have no doubt already been carefully laid.

I wonder if there are any British politicians in Valencia taking a look at an event that will increasingly become part of their portfolio?