Potential Americas Cup challengers Britain have left no stone unturned in a bid to bring the world's longest running sporting event back to British shores for the first time since its inception in 1851.

And who better to lead the charge than three-time Americas Cup veteran, Mike Sanderson, who has been appointed team director of Britain's Americas Cup hopefuls TeamOrigin.

"Mike (Sanderson) is our Americas Cup director and so basically he is running the show," commented TeamOrigin skipper Ben Ainslie.

"He is one of the best offshore sailors around, if not the best, in winning the Volvo Ocean Race the last time around.

"Mike is just a great guy to work with; he's very experienced and just has a very good attitude."

In January 2007 Sir Keith Mills, the British businessman who ran London's victorious bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, announced his intention to create a new British America's Cup sailing team comprised of some of the world's elite sailors and boat designers from the UK and beyond.

Sir Mills revealed that TeamOrigin will participate in "at least two" America's Cup campaigns — the 33rd and 34th editions of the America's Cup, tentatively scheduled to take place in 2009 and 2011 respectively.

The Americas Cup is the most prestigious regatta and match race in the sport of sailing and the oldest active trophy in international sport, predating the modern Olympics by 45 years. The sport attracts top sailors and yacht designers because of its long history and prestige.

Although the most prominent aspect of the regatta is its exciting match racing, it is also a test of boat design, sail design, fund-raising, and management skills. The cup, originally offered as the Royal Yacht Squadron Cup, is named after the first yacht to win the trophy, the schooner America.

Swiss yacht, Alinghi, is the current Americas Cup holders having beaten Team New Zealand 5-2 in last year's Louis Vuitton final in Valencia, Spain.

Kiwi Sanderson and TeamOrigin made a rather unexpected stopover in Bermuda last week abroad Alex Jackson's 100-foot maxi, Speedboat, which was forced to scrap a trans-Atlantic speed record attempt after tearing a mainsail in 40- foot seas.

Like Ainslie, a three-time Olympic Gold medallist, Sanderson believes Britain's Americas Cup bid holds substance.

"With a fantastic pool of talent in all areas for a top Americas Cup campaign, the time is right for Britain," declared Sanderson, who was a mainsheet trimmer abroad American challenger BMW Oracle Racing in the 2003 Americas Cup.

"Winning the Americas Cup is all about having the right team.

"We have a great group of guys on-board and having Ben (Ainslie) and myself sailing a lot together is also a great thing as we get to learn a lot more about each other.

It's all positive to be honest, and all good for what we are trying to achieve (Americas Cup) further down the road."

TeamOrigin is also comprised of 2000 Olympic Gold medallist Iain Percy (tactician) who was involved in Americas 2005 Americas Cup campaign as a helmsman abroad +39 Challenger that only managed ninth in the Louis Vuitton Cup.

"Having won Olympic Gold for Britain, I see my next big challenge as helping to bring the America's Cup back to British shores," the Brit said.