Staging the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda would appeal to sailing purists, British skipper Sir Ben Ainslie has suggested.

Bermuda and San Diego are the remaining bidders to host the next America’s Cup in 2017, with each destination already guaranteed to host an America’s Cup World Series should the other get the nod to host the main event.

Sir Ben, skipper of challengers Ben Ainslie Racing, revealed that a venue for the 35th America’s Cup could be announced as early as next month.

“The next big step is nailing down a venue for 2017, which should be confirmed in October,” the most decorated sailor in Olympic history said. “Bermuda and San Diego are on the shortlist although it is likely both venues will be used at some point, with one hosting some build-up races and the other the finals.

“There are pros and cons to each as far as hosting the actual America’s Cup is concerned. Bermuda is probably better for the purists with San Diego offering more commercial potential.”

Sir Ben is no stranger to local sailing enthusiasts having won the Argo Group Gold Cup twice and finishing runner up to rival America’s Cup skipper, Francesco Bruni (Luna Rossa), in last year’s Alpari World Match Racing Tour-sanctioned regatta. The English sailor first competed in Bermuda in 1995 when he won the ISAF Youth Worlds in the Laser.

Ben Ainslie Racing is among the six teams set to challenge America’s Cup holders Oracle Team USA for the coveted Auld Mug in three-years time.

“It really feels as if things are ticking along now,” said Sir Ben, who is also a multiple world champion in the Finn and Laser dinghies.

“We get the first test boat out on the water at the end of this month, which is going to be an important milestone for the team. We’re actually going to launch from Southampton rather than our new base in Portsmouth, which will not be ready until next May, but it will not make the occasion any less exciting. Once you are actually out there training, it all starts to feel more real.”

In the previous America’s Cup, held last year in San Francisco, Sir Ben served as a tactician on Defender Oracle Team USA that retained the Auld Mug after producing one of the greatest comebacks in international sports history against Challengers Emirates Team New Zealand who relinquished a commanding lead.

Sir Ben’s comments are the second to come from a challenger in support of Bermuda’s bid.

Last month, top New Zealand broadcasters 3 News threw their weight behind the Island’s attempts to host the 2017 event.

In a 3 News editorial, Bermuda was praised as the better venue for a commercially viable regatta.

Reporter Greg Pearson noted that if Team Oracle, the American defender, want to “chase the money, the best option is likely to be Bermuda, with the Atlantic territory providing a window to the more lucrative Europe audience”.