Sir Keith's dream is one we hope comes true

The finest sailors on the planet took to the waters off Portsmouth while the eyes of the world looked on.

And that’s just the start, with the racing coming back, bigger and better in July.

Whether you’re an avid sailing fan who doesn’t miss a minute of that action, or just an interested spectator proud to see your city host a major world spectacle, we hope you share the view that it can only be a good this for the wider Portsmouth area.

So it’s fascinating to read the interview we bring you today with the man behind the action, Sir Keith Mills.

Today he outlines his vision for the legacy of the event and, rather the simply being host for two years, he’s hoping to make this area a permanent base for world-class sailing events.

He’s told us today that sites being considered include Old Portsmouth – where the BAR base now stands proud – Southsea and Gosport.

While he says to make this dream a reality, it would require some outside investment, we wholeheartedly back the idea.

It comes as city council leader Donna Jones revealed she had pitched the culture secretary John Whittingdale the idea of Portsmouth hosting the America’s Cup final ion 2021.

There are so many positive things happening in and around Portsmouth at the moment, both these ideas would be fantastic strings to the area’s bow.

They may be ambitious in their scope, but there’s noting wrong with thinking big.

And with someone like Sir Keith Mills behind it – the man who helped London secure the 2012 Olympics –it might just become a reality.