China has unlimited money and in recent years has not been shy of spending it to get established on the World stage.

The race tracks built for Formula One and GT racing are simply the best ever built. The preparations for the 2008 Olympics are also "no expense spared".

So if China decides that the Americas Cup is up there with F1 and the Olympics, (as we keep getting told) it follows they will throw unlimited money at that too. That is not to say they will spend recklessly, they will be very clever.

The objective will be nothing less than to stage the 33rd Americas Cup in China.

Now, you can do that two ways: Win the cup like Auckland or Fremantle did or make a winning bid to the Cup winning team like Valencia did. So back to China's plan. If the AC33 host city goes "on the market" they will bid and must win. The host will go to global bids if Alinghi or an American team win. There is a pretty good chance of this.

To increase the chances even further Chinese interests could buy one or more of the existing teams. Candidates for this takeover are those teams with boats, management structure in place but not fully funded.

As translation on 2007ac forum contains the words, "including three sailing ships, namely the ship, the ship and unfolds the ship", (one for competition, one for training, one for exhibition), the rumor mills suggested that GBR Challenge is the best candidate.

To be continued …