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Cup challengers say they’ll support venue choice

By WTOP Staff

BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Like a tide rushing into a harbor, America’s Cup challengers are now saying they will support whichever venue is chosen by defending champion Oracle Team USA for the 2017 regatta.

That was among six points made in a joint release following a meeting of four European syndicates and Oracle Team USA in London on Tuesday.

America’s Cup boss Russell Coutts has narrowed the venue choices to Bermuda and San Diego, with a decision to be made by fall.

Two weeks earlier, at a meeting in Los Angeles, challengers said it was a “universal concern” that Bermuda “is not a great venue.” There wasn’t a rousing endorsement for San Diego, either, even though the America’s Cup would be sailed on the bay rather than miles out to sea as it was when the Southern California port hosted sailing’s biggest regatta in 1988, 1992 and 1995.

What changed?

The challengers “received good briefings on the two venues including wind speeds, which was positive,” British Olympic star Ben Ainslie said in an email to The Associated Press.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist is leading Ben Ainslie Racing, Britain’s latest attempt to win back the trophy it lost to the schooner America in 1851.

The other teams at the meeting were Sweden’s Artemis Racing, Italy’s Luna Rossa Challenge and Team France.

Coutts, who is both CEO of Oracle Team USA and director of the America’s Cup Event Authority, told Emirates Team New Zealand to skip the meeting, feeling the Kiwis weren’t willing to work within the published protocol. Oracle Team USA retained the Auld Mug last September by beating Team New Zealand in one of the biggest comebacks in sports.

Team New Zealand, the strongest of the challengers, doesn’t favor Bermuda as the venue for the challenger semifinals and finals, and America’s Cup match. The Kiwis and other syndicates are concerned that some corporate sponsors will back out if the Cup is sailed in Bermuda, a British territory some 640 miles off North Carolina.

Team New Zealand, like the other challengers, wanted the regatta to return to San Francisco. But Coutts dismissed San Francisco from the venue-selection process earlier this summer because it wasn’t offering the same terms as last year, including free rent for piers as well as police, fire and other services.

Alameda mayor Marie Gilmore sent Coutts a letter last week inviting him to consider her city, located across the bay from San Francisco. She told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the city is awaiting a reply.

The Kiwis are still expected to enter by the Aug. 8 deadline. The entry fee isn’t cheap — $2 million, payable in two installments, plus a $1 million performance bond.

The London meeting was called after a week’s worth of bad publicity following the withdrawal of Australia’s Hamilton Island Yacht Club as Challenger of Record on July 18. The Aussies’ withdrawal was the first public sign of dissatisfaction among challengers regarding the rules, location and the staggering cost of the 2017 regatta.

In an email to the AP, Coutts said Oracle Team USA “explained some of the attributes of each venue and showed them the proposed courses, team base and event village sites as well as the weather recordings. They seemed pleasantly surprised.”

The syndicates also agreed Tuesday to try to reduce costs for this America’s Cup and future regattas; to have each team plan to host an America’s Cup World Series event in either their own country or a country of their choice; and to commit, if they won the America’s Cup in 2017, to continue with the America’s Cup World Series.

They also agreed to have regular meetings to maximize the potential of this America’s Cup and future editions, and to agree on a date and event structure for the following America’s Cup.

Ainslie said syndicates talked about reducing costs “on a number of fronts with good intent and this is a work in progress.”

___

Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilson

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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