when is the next america's cup yacht race

BARCELONA TO HOST THE 37th AMERICA’S CUP IN 2024

Newport, R.I.  –  Emirates Team New Zealand and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron announced Barcelona, in the region of Catalonia, as the Host Venue for the 37th America’s Cup to be held in September and October of 2024. “We are thrilled with the Defender’s selection of Barcelona for the 37th America’s Cup,” said Terry Hutchinson, Skipper and President of Sailing Operations for New York Yacht Club American Magic. “As a team we are focused on understanding the changes of the class rule for AC37 and developing our next generation AC75. Knowing the venue now allows for a more detailed look at both wind and sea state conditions optimizing for Barcelona. Operationally we look forward to being back on the water later in 2022.”

America’s Cup Defender Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton is delighted to announce Barcelona as the Host Venue after a long and competitive venue selection process. “Barcelona really is one of the most recognized cities in the world so to have the ability to host the most recognized sailing event in the world is hugely exciting. As Defender of the America’s Cup, we have always felt the responsibility to grow the event, the audience, and the sport of sailing on a global scale and certainly having the event hosted in a significant city such as Barcelona will allow us to propel the growth trajectory on the global sporting stage. When thinking ahead to the 37th America’s Cup and the AC75’s racing within a few hundred meters of the Barcelona beach, waterfront, and race village fan engagement zones it will be nothing less than spectacular.”

Barcelona is a leading city in terms of sustainability and social impact with ambitions to become Europe’s digital and tech capital, so the alignment with the America’s Cup is clear. Its existing world class facilities for racing, team bases, technical infrastructure, superyachts, and areas for the America’s Cup event village to host fans, hospitality, and media as well as an average wind range of 9-15 knots during the September and October race window, made the city completely fit for purpose.

Integral to the organization of the 37th America’s Cup is the Challenger of Record INEOS Britannia and the Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd who have played an important part in setting the foundations of the next edition of the oldest trophy in international sport. INEOS Britannia Team Principal Sir Ben Ainslie said, “We are delighted the iconic city of Barcelona has been chosen to host the 37th America’s Cup. The historic weather data for Barcelona shows what a fantastic sailing venue it will be. The marina development and race area in Barcelona will offer excellent shore side facilities for the competing teams, alongside a great event village for fans of sports oldest international trophy to enjoy this iconic sporting event.

Further details on the venue and 37th America’s Cup will be announced in due course. “Obviously all of this news is announced in the shadow of the unfathomable war in the Ukraine we are witnessing right now, which clearly puts everything in perspective for us,” said Dalton. “We sincerely hope there is a rapid improvement in the situation, and we would like to send our strong message of support to the people in Ukraine during this period. We look forward to working in partnership with our Host Venue of Barcelona and announcing further details in due course.”

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37th America's Cup: INEOS TEAM UK and Royal Yacht Squadron Racing become Challenger of Record

The defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, accepted the Royal Yacht Squadron Racing's Notice of Challenge and INEOS have confirmed they will continue to back Sir Ben Ainslie's bid to try and win sport's oldest international trophy

By Emma Thurston

Friday 19 March 2021 09:22, UK

Great Britain's quest, and that of Sir Ben Ainslie, to win the America's Cup for the first time will continue as the Royal Yacht Squadron Racing and INEOS TEAM UK have become the Challenger of Record for the 37th edition of the America's Cup.

The Challenger of Record is the yacht club that's formally appointed by the defender of the America's Cup, and then they are represented by a specific team - in this case INEOS TEAM UK.

The Challenger of Record will work together with the defender of the America's Cup to develop the parameters for the forthcoming campaign, before other teams then become part of the competition.

@INEOSTEAMUK and Royal Yacht Squadron Racing are pleased to confirm that the @RNZYS on behalf of the Defender @EmiratesTeamNZ accepted their Notice of Challenge for the 37th @americascup (AC37) and have become the Challenger of Record for AC37. 👇 https://t.co/cVSHdOy4FY pic.twitter.com/4PAbOjyJ9X — Royal Yacht Squadron (@royal_squadron) March 19, 2021

The Challenge letter was signed on March 17, on board the yacht IMAGINE by Bertie Bicket, chairman of Royal Yacht Squadron Racing and accepted by Aaron Young, commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club as Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the line to win the 36th America's Cup .

The Royal Yacht Squadron Racing also confirmed they will continue to be represented by INEOS TEAM UK, as INEOS announced they will continue to back Ainslie's team.

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It will be the first time a British team has competed in three consecutive Cup cycles, since Sir Thomas Lipton and the Royal Ulster YC bids between 1899 to 1930.

Dalton: It starts now

With the Challenger of Record confirmed, Grant Dalton, Emirates Team New Zealand CEO, was keen to stress there is no time to lose.

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"The 37th America's Cup effectively starts the moment the team crossed the finish line on Wednesday afternoon," he said.

"It is very exciting to have a new Challenger of Record to continue to build the scale of the America's Cup globally.

"The AC75s and the unprecedented broadcast reach of the exciting racing from Auckland's stunning Waitemata Harbour have really put Auckland and the America's Cup at the forefront of international sport."

Meanwhile, Ainslie, skipper and team principal of INEOS TEAM UK, also shared his excitement about the road ahead and where the next edition of the America's Cup can take sailing.

"INEOS TEAM UK are committed to working alongside Emirates Team New Zealand and our respective yacht clubs to continue the development of this historic event," he said.

The introduction of the AC75 class of yacht has proven to be a transformative moment in the history of the America's Cup and will be the bedrock of a really bright future. Sir Ben Ainslie - Image Credit: COR 36 | Studio Borlenghi

Parameters for 37th America's Cup

One of the unique features of the America's Cup as a competition is that the defender, in conjunction with the Challenger of Record, set the parameters for the next race.

Together they develop what's known as the 'Class Rule' and all teams will adhere to that throughout an America's Cup campaign. The Class Rule for the 36th America's Cup, which Emirates Team New Zealand just won, included a move to AC75 yachts for the first time.

Already, Emirates Team New Zealand have announced the protocols will be published within eight months and they have already made some elements clear.

The AC75 class of boat, these 75ft foiling monohulls, will remain as the class of yacht used for the next two America's Cup cycles.

Teams will only be allowed to build one new AC75 for the next event, and the venue for the 37th America's Cup Match will be determined within six months.

Both Emirates Team New Zealand and INEOS TEAM UK will also be investigating and agreeing a package of cost reduction measures. The aim being to try and attract a higher number of challengers and help generate new teams.

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America's Cup preliminary races: When are they? What's the format and schedule? Which teams are competing?

Updated 30/11/2023 at 12:13 GMT

When are the 37th America's Cup preliminary races? What's the preliminary race format and schedule? Which teams are competing in the America's Cup? The competition is already into its second round of preliminary regattas, as teams start their bid to win the America's Cup. Emirates New Zealand are the current defending champions. We run through all you need to know about the event.

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Racing schedule confirmed for 37th America's Cup

22/01/2024 at 14:32

What is the America’s Cup?

What are the america's cup preliminary races, what is the preliminary race schedule.

• Thursday, November 30: First day of racing
• Saturday, December 1: Second day of racing
• Sunday, December 2: Third and final day of racing

How does the America's Cup work?

How does america’s cup scoring work, what are the america’s cup teams.

• INEOS Britannia (UK)
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing (Switzerland)
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (Italy)
• American Magic New York Yacht (USA)
• Orient Express Racing Team (France)
• Emirates New Zealand (New Zealand)

Emirates Team New Zealand win America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta in Jeddah

02/12/2023 at 22:48

Drama as Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli submerge in America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Jeddah final

Emirates team new zealand win america’s cup preliminary regatta jeddah.

INEOS Britannia announces America’s Cup race squad

• INEOS Britannia, led by Sir Ben Ainslie, is challenging to be the first British team to win the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, the America’s Cup
• INEOS Britannia has spent more than two-and-a-half years designing and building its AC75 foiling race boat, named Britannia
• Joining Sir Ben Ainslie on-board Britannia is a crew of Olympic medallists, World Champions, and America’s Cup veterans and rookies
• Racing begins this weekend at the Barcelona Preliminary Regatta, 22-25 August, where all six competing teams will race their AC75s against each other for the first time
• UK viewers can watch all of the America’s Cup action on TNT Sports

INEOS Britannia, the Challenger of Record racing for the Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd in the 37th America's Cup, has announced its race crew that will challenge to create history by becoming the first British team to win sport’s oldest international trophy. Although the competition started in Britain with a race around the Isle of Wight in 1851, a British team has never won the iconic Auld Mug. Sir Ben Ainslie, Team Principal and Skipper of INEOS Britannia, hopes to change this with his latest race crew, featuring Olympic and World Champions, and their ‘Britannia’ AC75 Race boat, created by some of the brightest talent from the America’s Cup and Formula One.

Often considered one of sport’s toughest challenges, only four countries have won the America’s Cup in its 173-year history. The competition is unique as the winner decides the rules for the next event, making them extremely difficult to beat. James Allison, Technical Director of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team said: “People talk about the America's Cup being like Formula One on water, the most striking comparison to me is that it's difficult, this America’s Cup challenge is proper difficult!” The current holders of the America’s Cup are Emirates Team New Zealand, and as the Defenders, they automatically qualify to race in the final match. Five teams, INEOS Britannia (GBR), NYYC American Magic (USA), Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA), Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI), and Orient Express Racing Team (FRA) will compete in the Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selections Series) to be the team to take on Emirates Team New Zealand in the final match race. INEOS Britannia’s mission to make it to the final match race and bring the Cup home begins this weekend at the Barcelona Preliminary Regatta. Taking place between 22-25 August, the Preliminary Regatta will be the first time all six AC75 boats competing in the Cup will be raced against each other. INEOS Britannia partnered with Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team’s Applied Science Division to design and build its AC75, with the teams dedicating more than two-and-a-half years to the process.

INEOS Britannia’s AC75 will have eight crew on-board during racing; two Helms, two Trimmers and four Cyclors (cycling sailors). Joining Sir Ben Ainslie as co-helm aboard Britannia for the America’s Cup will be Olympic gold medalist Dylan Fletcher MBE, who won the 49er class at Tokyo 2020 and is also the reigning Moth World Champion. The two Trimmers will be Leigh McMillan and Bleddyn Mon, who are both on their third America’s Cup campaign with the British Team. The four Cyclors on-board will come from a pool of nine athletes, who will rotate on and off the boat between races to ensure optimum performance.  

The on-board crew will be bolstered by a stellar line-up of support crew, including double Olympic gold medallist Giles Scott MBE as Head of Sailing, Olympic gold and silver medallist Iain Jensen as Trimmer Support, Emirates GBR SailGP Team Coach Rob Wilson, gold and silver Olympic medallist Xabi Fernandez and seven-time World Match Racing Champion Ian Williams as Coaches, as well as Pete Cunningham as Head of Human Performance.  

Ainslie said: “The process of developing the sailing squad and defining what that race line-up looks like has taken some time. We have 15 sailors in our squad but eight sailors on the yacht at one time, so clearly we are going to have rotations. We have a bunch of really talented sailors, so in a way we are spoilt for choice. It's a very difficult decision to define who you’re going to select in these roles, particularly when you have two such talented sailors in Dylan and Giles. It’s obviously going to be tough for the one that misses out but that said Giles has the key role of Head of Sailing in this campaign and is pivotal to the team’s progression.” 

INEOS Britannia’s Cyclor crew includes returning America’s Cup athletes: Freddie Carr, Ben Cornish, Matt Gotrel MBE, Neil Hunter and Luke Parkinson. The further four Cyclors are America’s Cup rookies, with some never having sailed before joining INEOS Britannia. They include Olympic silver medallist Harry Leask, Matt Rossiter and Ryan Todhunter, who have all moved over from the world of rowing and were selected for their power potential. The 2019 Finn National Champion James Skulczuk completes the Cyclor line-up, having moved his attention to cycling to stay fit while the Covid-19 pandemic halted his sailing career. 

Ainslie said: “We’ve got a great team together for this campaign, not just on-board the boat but also behind the scenes too, including our Technical Partnership with Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. We are lucky to have the support of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS team who have been instrumental in getting us to this point. It’s been a huge effort to get here so we’re all excited to get back into America’s Cup racing, three-and-a-half years after the last event in Auckland. The America’s Cup is the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, and it’s one of the hardest challenges to take on, but that’s why we love it. To be the first British team to win the Cup is a massive ambition for me and the entire team, and if we can do it, it will be a massive achievement for not just the team but also the entire country.” 

 The Barcelona Preliminary Regatta starts on 22 August, with four days of match races to find the two fastest teams. The top two teams will progress to the winner-takes-all final match race on the fourth and last day to decide the ultimate winner of the warm-up event. Races start at 13:00 BST each day, with UK viewers able to watch the action on TNT Sports. The Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selections Series), then begins on 29 August. The series will determine which of the five Challenging teams will take on Defenders Emirates Team New Zealand in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match. 

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America’s Cup: Schedule and how to follow the racing

• Toby Heppell
• February 1, 2021

Finally, the America's Cup 2021 is in sight as Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli claimed victory in the Prada Cup. The Italian team will now take on Emirates Team New Zealand in the America's Cup proper.

The teams are there, the boats are there, and finally after two months of AC75 racing in Auckland, for the Prada Cup , we know the two teams who will race for the 36th America’s Cup , Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.

The Prada Cup, as it is now named, used to be called the Louis Vuitton Cup – or Challenger Selection Series. The event’s purpose was to decide which of: Luna Rosa Prada Pirelli; INEOS Team UK; or American Magic would take on Emirates Team New Zealand in the 2021 America’s Cup.

Although INEOS Team UK won the Round Robin Series of the Prada Cup, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli defeated American Magic in the Prada Cup Semi-Final by four straight wins, and then defeated the Brits in the Prada Cup Final with an impressive 7-1 scoreline.

As the Defender of the America’s Cup Emirates Team New Zealand did not take part in the Prada Cup series.

Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

What do we know?

With the Prada Cup now concluded we have a reasonable idea of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli’s strengths and weaknesses.

The Italian team has had a good run up to the Cup and, significantly, when they launched their second AC75 it was the closest to their first generation America’s Cup boat of all the teams, Defender included.

That they did not go down a new or different design route with their second boat indicates that they were happy with the performance and characteristics of their first attempt and their second boat represents a refinement of their initial concept.

Article continues below…

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There are two areas where Luna Rossa were unlike any of the challengers. The Italian team operates a boom-less setup for their mainsail, allowing significant depth in the sail down low and a very clean intersection with the deck. A conceptually similar approach to the mainsail foot has been taken by New Zealand on their second AC75.

This will provide good power in the sail low down where it is most beneficial and the lack of a boom also means the sail and deck interaction is very clean aerodynamically speaking.

The second unique feature on the Italian’s boat is the team’s double helmsman setup. Francesco Bruni steers the boat when on port tack and Jimmy Spithill steers when on starboard.

The team does not have a dedicated tactician with both the helmsmen and mainsail trimmer, Pietro Sibello, all interacting to make tactical decisions. During the Prada Cup Round Robins, which tended to be sailed in shiftier winds, this seemed to be a weakness and the team often made tactical errors.

However, the Italians do seem to have sharpened up in this area and looked stronger in the Semi-Final and Final. Both of these two events did feature more stable winds, however, so it was easier for a team to rely on boat speed. It remains to be seen if this will be a weakness going forward.

What the setup does offer, though is stability through manoeuvres. On all other boats the helmsman crossed the boat, which is then temporarily steered by another member of the crew. For the Italians, the only crew member crossing the boat in the manoeuvres is their mainsail trimmer. Theoretically, provided the transition from one helm to another is smooth enough – which it seems to be – the team can be quicker to settle onto a new tack or gybe after a manoeuvre.

Luna Rossa have shown themselves to be very quick in the lighter end of the wind scale and have also impressed generally upwind with a strong high mode allowing them increased tactical options.

The winder end of the conditions seem to be something of a weakness – the team has admitted as much in the past – but this is an area they have been working on. They have also, at times lacked a little downwind performance, here too we have seen recent improvements.

Trying to understand where Emirates Team New Zealand stand in terms of performance is a much harder proposition. The only time we have seen the New Zealand team racing an AC75 was back in December 2020 during the America’s Cup World Series and Christmas Race .

The Kiwis were by no means totally dominant and lost some of their races, however, it is reasonable to assume they did not want to give the challengers significant amounts of data upon which to compare the relative performance of each boat.

Even within the context that each boat was probably hiding some of their outright performance there were certainly times that the Kiwi outfit looked to have some impressive speed. Certainly of those on the ground in Auckland we have spoken to, the general consensus seems to be that Emirates Team New Zealand probably has the quickest AC75 on the water.

How does the America’s Cup work?

Now the Prada Cup has concluded, we are down to two boats, The Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, and the Challenger, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. These two boats will now take part in the America’s Cup Match.

The competition is head-to-head Match Racing, with the winner being the first boat in the fleet to get to. As was the case for the final of the Prada Cup, the America’s Cup will be won by the first boat to reach seven wins.

Racing is scheduled to run mostly on weekends and in some cases in the week. Each race day has two races scheduled with the exception on the final day on Monday 15th March, which will be the tie-break race, should it be needed.

The first weekend of racing is on the weekend of 6th-7th March, then there are a further two races on Wednesday 10th March. In theory, should one team win every race, they could conclude the series by the first race of the day on Friday 12th March.

All this means that the second race on Friday 12th, the two on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th, and the final race on Monday 15th are all ‘if needed’ and so may not go ahead.

What is match racing?

As is tradition for America’s Cup racing as a whole, each of these races will see one team racing a single other team, or ‘match racing’ as it is known. Match Racing is a unique discipline in the sport of sailing and is explained well by INEOS Team UK sailing team member Matt ‘Catflap’ Cornwell in the video below.

How can I watch the America’s Cup?

All of the America’s Cup races will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, NBC Sports, TVNZ, RAI, and Sky Italia, as well as on the America’s Cup YouTube channel and Facebook page.

There is clearly no shortage of options available, the problem for European viewers is likely to be the timezone difference, with the America’s Cup racing taking place between 0300 and 0500 GMT, so if you want to watch live, you’d better set your alarm clock!

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‘Got to crush them’: Foes turn teammates as Aussie Tom Slingsby joins US team for America’s Cup

A fortnight after advising Olympic gold medallist Matt Wearn, champion Australian Tom Slingsby resumes his quest to win the world’s most famous sailing race in Barcelona tonight. But this time he will be representing the Stars and Stripes of the United States.

The Sydneysider will be at the helm of American Magic’s Patriot in its bid to reclaim for the New York Yacht Club the Americas Cup it once had a stranglehold on until a famous Aussie upset in 1983 when the John Bertrand-skipper Australia II triumphed in Newport.

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EXPLAINER: Format, rule changes explained as world’s oldest sporting battle resumes

Slingsby, who won a gold medal for Australia in the London Olympics and skippers the Australian team in the SailGP series, has a US passport courtesy of his mother.

But on signing with American Magic to spearhead their quest to win the 37th Americas Cup , he said he made it clear to his team that he was an “Aussie through and through”.

“I was born and raised in Australia,” he said.

“I think of myself as an Australian but if I can compete for any other country, I’m glad it’s the US and I can make my mum proud.”

Slingsby’s co-helmsman Paul Goodison, an English sailor and fellow Olympic gold medallist, describes his partner in the assault on the world’s oldest sporting contest as an “arch rival” who he has shared an “abrasive” relationship with for well over a decade.

“We’ve competed against each other in the Olympic classes for the best part of 10 years (and) we were archrivals for a long time,” Goodison told The Independent .

“And we’ve been through cycles of being best mates, and then very abrasive, and then mates, and then abrasive. And it all comes from when you’re competing against somebody.

“You can’t really like them. You’ve got to crush them. You’ve got to beat them. And that was a big part of the Olympic cycle. But also with that, you gain a huge amount of respect. If you were to choose another guy to be beside you racing one of these, he’d be top of your list.”

Slingsby, 39, is at the top of the list with good reason.

A highly-decorated athlete who was acclaimed as the world’s top sailor last year, he is hugely respected in yachting and boating circles in Australia and around the world.

Inspired as a teenager by the brilliance of those competing in the 2000 Olympic Regatta on Sydney Harbour, Slingsby was drawn to the sport by its competitiveness and beauty.

Just 12 years later he won an Olympic gold medal in the laser (dinghy) class at the London Games to spark what has become an Australian dominance of the sport.

Tom Burton clinched gold in the class in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 while Wearn became the first Australian to defend his gold medal in the division with his feats in France earlier this month.

After effectively winning the Paris Olympic gold medal twice - his first race against Cypriot Pavlos Kontides was abandoned when Wearn was within sight of winning due to a lack of wind - the Western Australian said Slingsby had boosted his confidence with a phone call.

“He reached out, which was pretty cool. He told me to enjoy it, have fun and have a crack,” Wearn said.

While Wearn bobbed about in the Gulf of Lyon for a period in his dinghy during the Olympics, there will be no lull in terms of pace when Slingsby and Goodison share duties piloting Patriot off the Barcelona coastline.

The AC75 yachts featuring in the 37th Americas Cup have been described as akin to being on an F1 car on the water and regularly reach speeds beyond 50 knots (92kmh) in races.

American Magic is among the six entrants which will compete in Port Vell in a series of races to determine who will challenge defending champion Team New Zealand for the prestigious Cup in a competition running from August 22 through to mid-October.

Slingsby is keeping the Australian spirit alive in the Americas Cup and has enjoyed previous success in the race as a member of the Oracle Team which won in 2013.

It was his multi-class expertise that prompted the NYYC to poach him in 2022 to partner Goodison at the helm in the lead-up to the American Magic’s assault on the 2024 edition.

“As a previous winner of the America’s Cup, Tom knows what it takes to climb that mountain,” team skipper Terry Hutchison, who holds an on-shore role, said.

The six boats will compete in the third and final preliminary regatta in Barcelona from Thursday night (AEST).

The event does not count towards progression or elimination, but results can be used later for tiebreakers, while the regatta also gives the teams an opportunity to get a glimpse at the competition before the Louis Vuitton Cup — which begins next week.

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Want to See America’s Cup Racing Up Close? These 9 Yacht Charters Let You Watch From the Water

Options range from 200-foot-plus superyachts with side trips to ibiza to intimate sailing vessels catered by michelin-starred chefs. let the races begin., jemima sissons, jemima sissons's most recent stories.

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Next week, when the 37 th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup kicks off in Barcelona with its opening ceremony, the contest that began in 1851 with a race around the Isle of Wight between the fastest British and American sloops (the yacht America won handily) will come back to Europe for the first time in 14 years.

The move to the Catalan capital from the 2021 event in New Zealand will make it more accessible to sailing fans in Europe, and even North Americans who want to view the fast, technical AC75 foiling boats in person. Barcelona has been preparing itself for a surge of spectators for the “return” of the Cup, which was held twice in Valencia, Spain, in the aughts.

The America’s Cup may be billed as “the race with no second place,” but it takes three months of racing and four events for one of five Challenger teams to win the Louis Vuitton Cup, and that winner will race Defender Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup final. The racing runs from August through October, and this year includes a first-time all-women’s America’s Cup as well as an event for the world’s best youth sailors.

Having Barcelona as a venue was a smart move, partly for the gorgeous beaches fronting the race course on the Med. But there is also the city’s magnificent architecture and sense of history as well as vibrant arts, culture and, of course, no shortage of Michelin-starred restaurants.

There are many five-star hotels in the area, but the smartest and most thrilling way to see racing is by water. The vessel options are wide-ranging—from weeklong superyacht charters to luxury suites on a cruise ships to day trips on sailboats with Michelin-starred cuisine. Many can be combined with on-land stays and even cruises to other parts of Spain as part of the itineraries.

One important note: Four zones adjoining the race course allow spectator boats. Before chartering a vessel, be sure to find out which zone the boat will operate in, because that impacts how close you are to the racing.

Here are 9 options to suit the most avid Cup aficionados or those visiting Barcelona who want to sip champagne and watch the AC75 foiling boats battle it out.

Superyacht ‘Resilience’

Edmiston is offering charters aboard the 212-foot Resilience during the America’s Cup. The ISA-built superyacht, designed by Enrico Gobbi, features a mosaic-tiled pool, circular fire pit and a BBQ for a ringside lunch. Post-race pampering comes via the steam room, sundeck jacuzzi and gym, and there’s even a self-playing Edelweiss piano and projector for evening entertainment. The vessel sleeps 12 across seven cabins. From September 16, weekly charters start at about $645,000 (€600,000).

Explora Journeys

The soon-to-be-launched Explora II looks very much like its sistership, the Explora I : onyx finishes, self-playing Steinways, on-deck Technogym bikes, a spa with a Himalayan salt room, Dunhill cigar den and a wine cellar boasting decades-old Chateau Latour. With 461 luxury suites, how was the Explora II chosen to become an America’s Cup viewing platform? The idea came from the top down. 

“I love sailing and believe the Med is the most beautiful sea on earth,” Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the cruise division of MSC Group, told Robb Report during a visit aboard Explora I in Barcelona. “We thought if only our customers could also experience [the America’s Cup], we can call it the ocean state of mind.” 

Explora II launches in mid-September, with itineraries planned to coincide with the different Cup events. On October 6, the vessel will be in port for the Louis Vuitton Cup Final and Puig Women’s Races. Guests can take a walk to the official race village and experience its excitement before watching the races from their suites. A 10-night journey starts from $5,210 per guest.

The Almanac Sailing Experience

Barcelona’s Almanac hotel has a romantic-gastronomic experience that offers guests front-row seats on a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45 sailboat with a capacity for 10 guests. Besides the racing, the package includes two nights at the hotel. The boat comes with the hotel’s branded slippers and Jimmy Boyd bespoke amenities. Enjoy a selection of customized Cava Bellinis from the pop-up bar. Chefs from the hotels’ restaurant will also serve up shrimp salad and fennel ceviche paired with organic Spanish wines. The boat can be chartered every Saturday from August 31 to October 26. The Louis Vuitton Cup round-robin starts on August 29 and lasts through Sept. 8. There’s also the Puig Women’s Race (first all-female America’s Cup in its 171-year history) and, of course, the America’s Cup finals in October. Prices start at $2,940 per couple. 

Superyacht ‘C’

For a majestic week-long cruise that incorporates America’s Cup summer races and possible side itineraries in Costa Dorada, Sitges and Formentera, Camper & Nicholsons’ expansive 177-ft C is the flashy option, defined by Minotti furniture, lacquered panels and a hamman. It also sleeps 12 in six cabins that feature a master and two VIP suites. Its chase boat also offers a great opportunity for side trips. Weekly charters from Sept. 18-October 31 run from about $513,000 or €400,000.

Sailing Yacht ‘Imagine’

UK adventure specialists Pelorus offer a private seat on an elegant sailing boat seeped in America’s Cup history. Built in New Zealand by Alloy Yachts, Imagine is a 110-footer that served as an official viewing platform for the America’s Cup in Auckland, but it has also completed three global circumnavigations. Beyond its sailing chops, it’s a beautiful vessel, with a blonde, teak-lined deck, large salon and dining area, and three cabins for sleeping seven guests. It will be available from October 12 for the America’s Cup final. Pelorus is also offering to bookend the week with trips to Majorca and Ibiza. About $101,000 (£79,121)

Superyacht ‘Diane’

Also available from Edmiston, the 141-ft Diane can accommodate 10 guests in five staterooms for the week. The interior is all about soft hues, featuring cream leather and white marble, boasting a bar and plenty of outdoor seating for watching the races. For the non-race legs, guests can take to the water via the large beach club, complete with seabobs and wakeboards. It has a Balearics license, making a hop to Ibiza or Majorca a possibility. Weekly charter rates from September 23 run about $150,000 per week (€140,000)

Black Tomato Cup Package

Incorporating a city-stay, Black Tomato’s America’s Cup getaway includes a day’s private day charter to view the race, plus five nights at the Mandarin Oriental as well as visiting the regatta course and different bases of the America’s Cup teams for an insider’s look at the operations and technology. As a dayboat, its Bali Yacht Saxador 400 GTO can accommodate 11 guests. It sets sail from Port Olympic, giving guests a sweeping view of the city on one side and the regatta course on the other. The boat has access to the blue area (for preferred charter boats) on the front line. From $12,750 per person, based on two people.

Superyacht ‘Quasar’

Camper & Nicholsons recently introduced the 153-foot Quasar to the charter market and what a great way to end the Med season than by viewing the America’s Cup. It has six cabins (including two master suites) that can accommodate 12 guests, along excellent outdoor seating, an upper salon that joins the aft deck area for viewing the races or dining al-fresco. The beach club has a large selection of water toys. Visits to scenic Med ports around Barcelona are also possible on the week’s charter, which start at about $232,000 (€210,000).  

Superyacht ‘Kiawah’

For front row seats on day charters in the blue zone (the third-closest area to the races), official charter partner ac37 Sailcharters offers different types of vessels and packages. The 110-foot Kiawah features a cocktail lunch on board, a specialized lecture from an expert sailor, and an AV system to follow the race in real time. From August 22 through October 11, daily rates are about $34,000 (€30,800) and during the America’s Cup finals October 12-27, rates move to about $41,000 (€37,400).

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This RI resident and URI grad will be coaching the U.S. team in the 37th America’s Cup

When the U.S. team in the America's Cup preliminary regatta takes to the waters off Barcelona on Thursday, it will be a Newport resident and University of Rhode Island graduate coaching the crew.

Tom Burnham grew up sailing in Orange, Connecticut. In his senior year of high school, already competing at the international level, Burnham raced in the 420s championship in Yugoslavia, where his teammates included some URI sailors who sang the university’s praises.

More: Mark Patinkin: When the America’s Cup was a huge deal around here

“I’ve sailed all my life. I was never a standout superstar but I was always involved in sailing and loved sailing,” Burnham said from Barcelona, Spain, as American Magic prepares for the 37th America’s Cup, which starts Thursday with the preliminary regatta. “It was one of the main reasons I went to URI, frankly. And the sailing team was really good at the time.”

In his four years at Kingston, the sailing team won several national championships and reached the World Collegiate Keelboat Championships (also called the Student Yachting World Cup) all four years. In 1990, the Rams became the only U.S. team to win the World Cup. It’s a distinction they still hold 34 years later.

In 1997, Burnham was living in Newport, doing some coaching and taking care of people’s boats, when he got an invitation to go out for a day with America’s Cup challenger Young America, which was training in nearby Quonset Point. That turned into a job that started a 10-year run of competing in the America’s Cup, including two campaigns with the Italian team, Luna Rossa. In 2017, he returned to the America’s Cup as head coach of Sweden’s Artemis Racing.

He was hired about two years ago to coach the New York Yacht Club American Magic, with a goal to win the 37th America’s Cup, returning the Cup to the yacht club that held it for 132 years. The mission starts Thursday, when American Magic gets its first close-up look at the four challengers — Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and France – and defending champion Emirates Team New Zealand in preliminary regatta. The racing starts for real Aug. 29 with the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup round-robin regatta. The regatta’s winner will face New Zealand for the America’s Cup, starting Oct. 12.

In those two years readying for the Cup, American Magic has put together its eight-man crew and substitutes and built a brand new AC75, the 75-foot-long monohull racing yacht that the Cup adopted in 2021. The yacht – Patriot – was the work of the club’s more than 40 engineers, about a third of the club’s total workforce. Patriot was built in Portsmouth at the yacht club’s manufacturing facility and flown to Barcelona on a cargo plane.

“The whole technology, construction, and design side is really a big part of the program with America’s Cup teams,” he says. “So that’s really exciting.”

Asked about his role as head coach, his first thoughts go to creating an inclusive team atmosphere.

“My real goal, my focus as a coach, is to create the environment for learning … where people feel comfortable asking questions and allowing themselves to be open to input, feedback and learning together,” he says.

As the crew practices off the Port of Barcelona, Burnham coaches from a chase boat, following behind Patriot and communicating directly with its crew. When racing begins, he will be in the chase boat, but stationed to the side of the race course and not allowed communication with Patriot.

“That’s part of the reason why fostering this atmosphere and getting guys to work together and problem-solve is so important,” he says. “They have to be self-reliant and deal with things as they come up while they’re racing.”

Asked to handicap the Cup, Burnham starts with his standard line: It will be close and come down to execution on race day.

But he adds: “I certainly like our sailing team … and I think the boats are going to be relatively similar. There are going to be some boats that have better days than others in terms of wind conditions. There might be some teams that are great in heavy air but not so good in light air. These are all things we’re going to find out in the next couple of weeks.

“I think that we’re doing well and we’re in a good place, but I’m certainly not overconfident about it either.”

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• INEOS Britannia, led by Sir Ben Ainslie, is challenging to be the first British team to win the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, the America’s Cup
• INEOS Britannia has spent more than two-and-a-half years designing and building its AC75 foiling race boat, named Britannia
• Joining Sir Ben Ainslie on-board Britannia is a crew of Olympic medallists, World Champions, and America’s Cup veterans and rookies
• Racing begins this weekend at the Barcelona Preliminary Regatta, 22-25 August, where all six competing teams will race their AC75s against each other for the first time
• UK viewers can watch all of the America’s Cup action on TNT Sports

INEOS Britannia, the Challenger of Record racing for the Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd in the 37th America’s Cup, has announced its race crew that will challenge to create history by becoming the first British team to win sport’s oldest international trophy. Although the competition started in Britain with a race around the Isle of Wight in 1851, a British team has never won the iconic Auld Mug. Sir Ben Ainslie, Team Principal and Skipper of INEOS Britannia, hopes to change this with his latest race crew, featuring Olympic and World Champions, and their ‘Britannia’ AC75 Race boat, created by some of the brightest talent from the America’s Cup and Formula One.

Often considered one of sport’s toughest challenges, only four countries have won the America’s Cup in its 173-year history. The competition is unique as the winner decides the rules for the next event, making them extremely difficult to beat. James Allison, Technical Director of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team said: “People talk about the America’s Cup being like Formula One on water, the most striking comparison to me is that it’s difficult, this America’s Cup challenge is proper difficult!” The current holders of the America’s Cup are Emirates Team New Zealand, and as the Defenders, they automatically qualify to race in the final match. Five teams, INEOS Britannia (GBR), NYYC American Magic (USA), Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA), Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI), and Orient Express Racing Team (FRA) will compete in the Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selections Series) to be the team to take on Emirates Team New Zealand in the final match race. INEOS Britannia’s mission to make it to the final match race and bring the Cup home begins this weekend at the Barcelona Preliminary Regatta. Taking place between 22-25 August, the Preliminary Regatta will be the first time all six AC75 boats competing in the Cup will be raced against each other. INEOS Britannia partnered with Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team’s Applied Science Division to design and build its AC75, with the teams dedicating more than two-and-a-half years to the process.

INEOS Britannia’s AC75 will have eight crew on-board during racing; two Helms, two Trimmers and four Cyclors (cycling sailors). Joining Sir Ben Ainslie as co-helm aboard Britannia for the America’s Cup will be Olympic gold medalist Dylan Fletcher MBE, who won the 49er class at Tokyo 2020 and is also the reigning Moth World Champion. The two Trimmers will be Leigh McMillan and Bleddyn Mon, who are both on their third America’s Cup campaign with the British Team. The four Cyclors on-board will come from a pool of nine athletes, who will rotate on and off the boat between races to ensure optimum performance.  

The on-board crew will be bolstered by a stellar line-up of support crew, including double Olympic gold medallist Giles Scott MBE as Head of Sailing, Olympic gold and silver medallist Iain Jensen as Trimmer Support, Emirates GBR SailGP Team Coach Rob Wilson, gold and silver Olympic medallist Xabi Fernandez and seven-time World Match Racing Champion Ian Williams as Coaches, as well as Pete Cunningham as Head of Human Performance.  

Ainslie said: “The process of developing the sailing squad and defining what that race line-up looks like has taken some time. We have 15 sailors in our squad but eight sailors on the yacht at one time, so clearly we are going to have rotations. We have a bunch of really talented sailors, so in a way we are spoilt for choice. It’s a very difficult decision to define who you’re going to select in these roles, particularly when you have two such talented sailors in Dylan and Giles. It’s obviously going to be tough for the one that misses out but that said Giles has the key role of Head of Sailing in this campaign and is pivotal to the team’s progression.” 

INEOS Britannia’s Cyclor crew includes returning America’s Cup athletes: Freddie Carr, Ben Cornish, Matt Gotrel MBE, Neil Hunter and Luke Parkinson. The further four Cyclors are America’s Cup rookies, with some never having sailed before joining INEOS Britannia. They include Olympic silver medallist Harry Leask, Matt Rossiter and Ryan Todhunter, who have all moved over from the world of rowing and were selected for their power potential. The 2019 Finn National Champion James Skulczuk completes the Cyclor line-up, having moved his attention to cycling to stay fit while the Covid-19 pandemic halted his sailing career. 

Ainslie said: “We’ve got a great team together for this campaign, not just on-board the boat but also behind the scenes too, including our Technical Partnership with Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. We are lucky to have the support of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS team who have been instrumental in getting us to this point. It’s been a huge effort to get here so we’re all excited to get back into America’s Cup racing, three-and-a-half years after the last event in Auckland. The America’s Cup is the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, and it’s one of the hardest challenges to take on, but that’s why we love it. To be the first British team to win the Cup is a massive ambition for me and the entire team, and if we can do it, it will be a massive achievement for not just the team but also the entire country.” 

 The Barcelona Preliminary Regatta starts on 22 August, with four days of match races to find the two fastest teams. The top two teams will progress to the winner-takes-all final match race on the fourth and last day to decide the ultimate winner of the warm-up event. Races start at 13:00 BST each day, with UK viewers able to watch the action on TNT Sports. The Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selections Series), then begins on 29 August. The series will determine which of the five Challenging teams will take on Defenders Emirates Team New Zealand in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match. 

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INEOS, Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Aceepted as Challenger of Record

Emirates Team New Zealand is pleased to confirm that the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has accepted a Notice of Challenge for the 37th America's Cup (AC37) from the Royal Yacht Squadron Racing, represented by INEOS TEAM UK, which will act as the Challenger of Record for AC37. 

"The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron have received and accepted a challenge for the 37th America's Cup from our long-standing British friends at Royal Yacht Squadron Racing." Said Aaron Young – RNZYS Commodore. "It is great to once again have the RYSR involved, given they were the first yacht club that presented this trophy over 170 years ago, which really started the legacy of the America's Cup.  Along with Emirates Team New Zealand, we look forward to working through the details of the next event with them. " 

A Protocol Governing AC37 will be published within eight months including the provisions outlined in this release. 

"The 37th America's Cup effectively starts the moment the team crossed the finish line on Wednesday afternoon," said Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton.

"It is very exciting to have a new Challenger of Record to continue to build the scale of the America's Cup globally. The AC75's and the unprecedented broadcast reach of the exciting racing from Auckland's stunning Waitemata harbour have really put Auckland and the America's Cup at the forefront of international sport."

INEOS TEAM UK and Royal Yacht Squadron Racing are pleased to confirm that the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, on behalf of the Defender Emirates Team New Zealand, accepted their Notice of Challenge for the 37th America's Cup (AC37) and have become the Challenger of Record for AC37.

The Challenge letter was signed on 17th March 2021 onboard the yacht , by Bertie Bicket, Chairman of Royal Yacht Squadron Racing and accepted by Aaron Young, Commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club as Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the finish line to win the America's Cup for the fourth time.

In addition, INEOS have confirmed they will continue to back Sir Ben Ainslie's team to win sport's oldest international trophy, giving much needed continuity, the cornerstone of every successful America's Cup team. It will be the first time a British team has competed in three consecutive Cup cycles since Sir Thomas Lipton and the Royal Ulster YC bids between 1899 to 1930.

INEOS TEAM UK Skipper and Team Principal Sir Ben Ainslie said: "INEOS TEAM UK are committed to working alongside Emirates Team New Zealand and our respective yacht clubs to continue the development of this historic event. The introduction of the AC75 class of yacht has proven to be a transformative moment in the history of the America's Cup and will be the bedrock of a really bright future."

The America's Cup, the pinnacle of yachting, was first contested in 1851 in Cowes, Isle of Wight and organised by the Royal Yacht Squadron, predating the modern Olympic Games by 45 years. The last British Challenger of Record to compete in an America's Cup was the 12 metre, in 1964.

Bertie Bicket, Chairman of Royal Yacht Squadron Racing, who has been in Auckland, New Zealand for the duration of the 36th America's Cup said: "We are delighted to be embarking on our third successive America's Cup challenge with Sir Ben Ainslie and INEOS, as the Challenging Yacht Club for the 37th America's Cup. We look forward to working with all parties and will strive to continue the tradition and history of this great sporting event."

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When and where will the next America's Cup be held?

It’s been a challenging period for those involved with the America’s Cup . But where will the crucial next race be held, and is it the right call?

Long before Emirates Team New Zealand flew across the finish line to win the America’s Cup match in March , jockeying was underway for the next edition. In its secretive way, the America’s Cup is like an iceberg: the greater part lurks invisibly beneath the surface.

Relations between Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Emirates Team New Zealand had cooled and the British INEOS Team UK was being lined up to replace the official Challenger of Record should the Kiwis win.

This is an important role. The winner gets to decide the format, type of boat raced and venue, albeit in agreement with the official challenger. The role gives the British team a seat at the top table for the first time, and an opportunity to press for what it wants. That includes the possibility of racing for the next Cup in the UK.

First, however, the easiest agreement to find between the two teams and the yacht clubs they represent was to continue with the foiling AC75 class for “at least the next two editions of the America’s Cup”. “It will be a condition of entry to the 37th America's Cup that each team agrees to this commitment,” Emirates Team New Zealand spokesman Hamish Hooper told us.

It means the design and development work done over the last four years can be built upon, and it will take in the knowledge and skills built up by incumbent teams. Fans should be pleased, too, because the flying monohulls were spectacular and the racing closer and more exciting than anticipated. The next big question: where and when will the next America’s Cup be raced?

The British suggestion: A Deed of Gift match

The rumours are true that the British have proposed a one-off Deed of Gift match against the Kiwis to be raced in the UK, including or culminating in a race around the Isle of Wight. That would be an historic rerun of the original contest in 1851 between the British and the Americans, but this time explicitly excluding the Americans and any other challengers.

A so called “DOG match” has two precedents: between the New Zealanders and the Stars & Stripes US defenders in 1988, and in 2010, when Alinghi lost the Cup to BMW Oracle Racing. Feasibility studies were carried out with possible venues in the Solent and a bid has been received. The suggestion the British team made was that a rapid-turnaround Cup match in 2022 could keep the momentum while the world slowly returns to normal and New Zealand opens up to visitors. It would be a coup for Sir Jim Ratcliffe of INEOS to bring the racing to home territory, and maybe it would be easier for the home team to win here.

“It’s something that has been tabled as a mechanism to get through this Covid-19 world we have been battling through,” says Ben Ainslie. “It was [a question of] how do we get through to the next Cup four years down the road, and put [it] on the line to get some more teams interested.

"But, in all honesty, it is very much a distant idea, and I’m saying this with my Challenger of Record hat on,” he continues. “There are no plans in place and it is still leftfield thinking. Having a Cup on the Solent would be my preference and I do favour it, but I think we all have to understand the commercial realities of Emirates Team New Zealand.”

Luna Rossa and the New York Yacht Club’s American Magic have both said they want to continue challenging for the Cup and are opposed to being excluded in a one-on-one match. The Americans have made no secret of their furious opposition.

“A Deed of Gift match off the Isle of Wight would be a huge step in the wrong direction,” says Christopher Culver, commodore of the New York Yacht Club. “The two previous Deed of Gift matches were distinct low points in the history of the America’s Cup. The New York Yacht Club will not support a Deed of Gift match or an America’s Cup competition that is effectively open to only the defender and Challenger of Record.” It would, he added, undo the progress made in previous Cup cycles in increasing team numbers. “To waste this opportunity on a two-team event is not in the best interests of the Cup or the sport,” Culver declared.

In June the New Zealand team concluded a three-month negotiation with the New Zealand government and failed to reach agreement. Team chief Grant Dalton said the NZ$99 million offered in funds and in-kind support was not sufficient for a strong defence and a home contest was now “extremely unlikely”.

Shortlisted bids to host the Cup are said to have been received from venues in Cork, Cowes, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Oman, Singapore and Valencia. The process is being run for Team New Zealand by Origin Sports Group, the sports management company set up by Sir Keith Mills, who led the team that delivered the London 2012 Olympic Games from bid to execution. Sir Keith is a keen sailor and was instrumental in establishing Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup racing team in 2012. Some of the these locations could eliminate US team American Magic. Skipper and CEO Terry Hutchinson says their preferred choice is New Zealand but if that can’t happen, he told us, they prefer a venue with “a high historical context”.

“If you look at the list that has been proposed, Auckland is clearly one, Cowes is clearly one, Valencia is clearly one, Cork is clearly one, and then from there it is a change in mentality, and there is no historical significance of the America’s Cup heritage. It’s up to our principals to decide… but some of the venues that the Defender has laid out would be a show-stopper for American Magic.”

A presumptuous proposal

While negotiations continue behind locked doors, the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) raised the stakes on 6 May by publishing an extraordinary draft protocol. Despite having no official part to play in defining the terms of the next Cup, it posted online a highly detailed 154-page document defining every aspect, from entry costs to nationality rules. It wants the next America’s Cup to be raced in New Zealand in 2024.

And that’s not all. The NYYC proposes that the winner’s right to choose the venue in a bid process be replaced with a schedule laid out for the next 12 years. It wants the 38th America’s Cup to be raced in Italy in 2027, the 39th in the UK in 2030, the 40th in the US in 2033, and from 2035 it suggests it’s raced in the winner’s country, before changing to a two-yearly cycle, and ultimately becoming an annual event.

It also proposes fixing budgets both annually and for each Cup cycle, and says a commission chaired by the Defender should be “the permanent control and consulting body of the America’s Cup” with corporations to manage the running of the regatta and its commercial arm.

Culver argues: “The cost of a competitive campaign, the lack of continuity in the class and the inability to plan beyond the current cycle have combined to create a prohibitive barrier to entry.” INEOS Team UK was quick to respond, and in steely tones. “We are delighted to hear that the New York Yacht Club are interested in continuing participation in the America’s Cup and we will keep them informed as we move forward,” its statement read. When asked for its response, Emirates Team New Zealand told us it “questions their motives for such a presumptuous statement when entries do not open for some time”.

“There have been some valid points raised by NYYC, a number of which are already being considered,” comments Hamish Hooper, but he emphasises that it is “between Emirates Team New Zealand and the RNZYS, and INEOS Team UK and the Royal Yacht Squadron, who are the two parties responsible for developing the next Protocol.” Team New Zealand says it will publish the next protocol by 17 November.

What changes might we see?

There will almost certainly be changes to the class rule to allow for more supplied equipment. This would cut down some of the design complexity, reduce budgets and make it easier for new teams to step in. However, the NYYC’s proposal for a mutual management group with centralised commercial rights is highly unlikely to happen. It is not something a defender could contemplate when dependent on commercial funding to exist.

“It is not a realistic expectation to ask the winner to give away all those commercial rights. It would take a special kind of team and a special individual to do that,” says Ben Ainslie, “though it is an admirable point to try to get to.”

Ainslie’s comments suggest that negotiations may be more advanced than is currently being let on. “We are getting to the point very soon when we as Challenger of Record can go out and engage with the [other challengers],” he says.

Does there really need to be a consensus? “No,” continues Ainslie, “but it’s right to get more people on board with the thinking and be comfortable with it. If we can help people get more of an understanding of what the event looks like to make it work, that would be good.”

Whatever its successes, the last America’s Cup demonstrated that three challengers is too few. The racing would be more exciting with a bigger field of contenders and a wider fan base. Jimmy Spithill would surely love to lead an Australian challenge. Mike Buckley’s and Taylor Canfield’s Stars + Stripes Team USA are said to be keen to join. There are also strong rumours that two-time winner Ernesto Bertarelli could return for a Swiss challenge with Alinghi.

First, though, the New Zealand team needs a financial package to stop opponents plundering key members of its design, engineering, build and sailing teams. The choice of venue will be the one that, all things considered, best helps them prosper to win again.

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The Marvelous AC75s On Deck

• By Dave Reed
• August 20, 2024

April began with new-boat reveals that highlight the innovations of the second-generation AC75s for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup . While similar in size and scale, no one boat is alike. 

Alinghi Red Bull Racing, of the Swiss camp, was first to show its AC75, BoatOne , in a theatric soiree, giving observers and other teams a peek at the boat’s design traits. Its straight and narrow bow profile transitions to a long and tapered bustle that goes all the way to the stern. The walls of BoatOne ’s tall crew pods stop sharply before the transom section, leaving what amounts to a long overhang to accommodate the internal rudder elements. Bumps sculpted into the foredeck are said to redirect wind flow into the jib and down the middle of the boat for aerodynamic gains.

America’s Cup defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, was next to reveal, with a soft launch, followed by a foiling session the following day. With a naming ceremony that came a week later, the Kiwis’ AC75, Taihoro , was blessed for action, and they went straight into sailing in Auckland. Unlike the high cockpit walls of Alinghi’s BoatOne , however, those of Taihoro taper down toward to the ­transom scoop, which houses the mainsheet traveler system in a trench, and the rudder assembly.

The following day in Cagliari, the Italians of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli rolled out their metallic silver AC75, a menacing-looking design that has its pronounced curves and a significant bustle which rises toward the stern. The boat’s tall cockpits produce a deep trench through the middle of the boat. 

INEOS Britannia was fourth from behind the curtain with a boat dubbed RB3 . It’s different enough from Alinghi’s and ETNZ’s AC75s to be dangerous. The plumb bow starts sharp and maintains a steep deadrise before flaring out to a flatter bottom. A pronounced ­bustle tapers off near the stern and transitions to a thin skeg that ends short of the rudder.

The New York YC’s American Magic revealed its boat, Patriot , in early May, blessing it and going sailing on the same day. It’s certainly a different look, summarized by the team’s design coordinator, Scott Ferguson. “We followed our own design path with Patriot as we pushed the limits of the AC75 rule while tailoring for the Barcelona venue,” he says. “Our overall philosophy is minimalistic, as we’ve tried to squeeze down our volumes to the base minimum while still fitting the crew and systems into the boat.”

With the French Orient Express Racing Team pulling from Team New Zealand’s design package, there’s an expectation that its ­platform will not be too far off the defender when it comes to light soon enough. It had not yet been launched at press time.

In terms of crew-pod assignments, cyclors have now taken the back seats, mostly concealed and out of the airstream, while ­trimmers and helmsmen take the front seats for a better view of the action. American Magic went to the extreme, positioning three pods inboard, two well aft in the boat, with cyclors on recumbent bikes.

• More: Alinghi Red Bull Racing , America's Cup , America's Cup 37 , American Magic , Emirates Team New Zealand , INEOS Britannia , Luna Rossa Prada ­Pirelli , Racing , Sailboat Racing
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THE BOATS: AC75, AC40 & LEQ12

Although foiling feels like a recent revolution to take the world of watersports by storm, it has been at the heart of America's Cup racing for over 10 years.

It was August 2012 when the sailing world was turned upside down by a 72-foot catamaran flying in the Hauraki Gulf. Emirates Team New Zealand had brought foils to the America's Cup, changing the face of top-level yacht racing forever.

Six years later, in 2018, the publication of the AC75 Class Rule marked the beginning of a new sailing era. The engineering and sailing techniques needed to get the AC75 to fly completely differed from anything seen before.

During the 36th America's Cup in 2021, the AC75 proved themselves to be unique and kept millions of fans worldwide glued to their screens. It was then no surprise that the organisers were keen to continue with the AC75 rule for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona, albeit with several improvements to promote faster flight and incorporate upgraded technology. But the organisers went further. With a focus on youth and women being paramount to growing the sport into the future, a new class of boats was introduced–the AC40–specifically for this purpose. As the smaller sister-ship of the AC75, the AC40 launched in Auckland to much acclaim with speeds hitting the "high 40s" almost immediately straight out of the box under the skillful command of Emirates Team New Zealand in September 2022.

AC75: AMERICA'S CUP BOAT

On the 15th of November 2021, eight months after the Kiwis successfully defended the America's Cup, an updated 'Version 2' of the AC75 Class Rule was released.

The boats will be a step on from what we saw in Auckland in 2021. The foils will be larger to promote quicker lift and faster flight. The boats will be lighter and, onboard, the electronics and software systems will be vastly upgraded. To save weight, the number of crew on the AC75 has been reduced from 11 to 8. The move to reduce the crew means cycle power is again legalised, and the cyclors, introduced by Emirates Team New Zealand in 2017, might return to the game.

Several of the elements are strict one-design, such as the mast, rigging, foil cant-arms and cant hydraulics but the scope for design elsewhere is broad. To keep costs under control, it was also determined that teams would only be allowed to build one AC75 so the demand on getting the design right is at a premium. The boats will be expected to fly at speeds touching 50 knots in winds that average 12 knots in late summers in Barcelona.

AC40: YOUTH, WOMEN & TRAINING

New for the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup, the AC40 is a multi-use foiling monohull that all the confirmed teams will use for sailing and testing purposes. The AC40 is also the nominated boat for both the UniCredit Youth & Puig Women’s America’s Cup events where they will be sailed in strict one-design. The confirmed teams will also use the AC40 in competitive events leading up to the America’s Cup and several of the teams have two boats on order. The AC40 is being built by McConaghy’s in China. The foils and systems are being delivered by the Emirates Team New Zealand North Shore Facility and delivered in strict order of entry to the America’s Cup. Teams may modify and test out componentry on the AC40, and for this purpose, they will be deemed as a LEQ12 (see below), but for competition purposes in the UniCredit Youth & Puig Women’s America’s Cup, they will be returned to one-design according to strict rules around those specific events. Early trials of the AC40 by Emirates Team New Zealand have been sensational with speeds recorded in the ‘high-40-knot’ bracket and it is anticipated that this new class will form a global circuit both before and after the America’s Cup. For the UniCredit Youth & Puig Women’s America’s Cup, aside from the confirmed entries from the America's Cup syndicates, yacht clubs from around the world are being invited to form teams on a strict one-nation, one-entry basis and the finals of the youth and women’s events are scheduled on key dates of both the Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selection Series) and Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Match dates.

LEQ12: TESTING ONLY

Entrants for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup are required to build one AC75 and purchase at least one AC40 but within the rules there is also the opportunity for teams to build one, new, test boat with the stipulation that it must be ‘Less than or Equal to 12 metres in overall length.’ The term LEQ12 was thus coined and it’s a nod to a well used term in computing ‘LEQ’ and was the most accurate description of the vessel. To date, two teams have built dedicated LEQ12s–INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli–and these boats are loaded with sensors, cameras and measuring devices in order that the design team can collate data and calibrate their design software packages in a real-world environment. For the sailors too, it is an opportunity to hone monohull foiling techniques and have the ability to try new sailing styles as well as test new componentry in a relatively controlled environment, and with far fewer consequences than trialling something new on a powerful AC75 at full scale. The two specifically built LEQ12s to date are notably different in design with the Italian LEQ12 being of similar design to the winning ‘Te Rehutai’ of Emirates Team New Zealand during the 36th America's Cup whilst the British LEQ12 is a more extreme design to give a baseline of validation to the INEOS Britannia design team that is supported by Mercedes F1 Applied Science.

How many new AC75s can a team build

When agreeing on the new format for the 37th America’s Cup, the Defender and the Challenger of Record were determined to keep a lid on costs and deliver a sustainable event that could attract additional entries without a very high financial barrier to entry. During the 36th America's Cup, teams were allowed to build two AC75s but in the final Protocol for the 37th America's Cup, it was agreed that teams could only build one AC75 to compete in the America’s Cup in Barcelona. The introduction of the AC40 class allowed for teams to purchase these for either two-boat training or as test boats and a further concession was permitted in that teams could build one specific LEQ12 for testing and training purposes. By implementing the one-boat build rule for the 37th America's Cup, a high premium is placed on getting the final design right as there is little opportunity to change the fundamental design of the boats after launch. The world’s greatest naval architects, designers and engineers have been employed by all the teams with several partnering with complementary sports engineering functions such as Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Mercedes F1 Applied Science. The design race for the Cup is therefore, as intense as ever.

Can older AC75s be used and/or modified?

The first-generation AC75s that were used at the 36th America's Cup in 2021 may be used for training purposes by all of the confirmed teams in the run-up to the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup in Barcelona. To date, two teams–American Magic and Alinghi Red Bull Racing–have opted to re-launch these first-generation boats and use them as test boats and in the case of Alinghi Red Bull Racing, the Swiss who were not present during the 36th America's Cup, purchased Emirates Team New Zealand’s first boat ‘Te Aihe’ to train in Barcelona. There are, however, strict rules on developing these first-generation boats with the number of foil wings, flaps, rudders, foil arms, masts, hull surfaces and sails being strictly limited. This could well be the reason why the other teams have elected to develop LEQ12s or to adapt their AC40s into LEQ12s, as is the case with Emirates Team New Zealand, where the limits on componentry and testing are far less stringent, affording more scope for design development and analysis.

When does an AC40 become an LEQ12?

As mentioned above, in relation to the AC40, these boats are delivered in one-design format, but some teams may elect to take them out of one-design to test out componentry, and in this case, those AC40s will be deemed as ‘LEQ12s’ until returned to one-design configuration again. Change anything on your AC40 outside of the very strict class rules on componentry, and it becomes a LEQ12. In order for it to be used in the planned pre-regattas or the UniCredit Youth & Puig Women’s America’s Cup events it must be returned to the agreed one-design. Immediately after the necessary commissioning process of the very first AC40 that was delivered to Emirates Team New Zealand in September 2022, the team made changes to the cockpit configuration and specific controls that the crew use; This immediately converted the Emirates Team New Zealand AC40 to a LEQ12.