2024 Summer of Sport . . . after a short breather attention turns to the America’s Cup.
- UEFA EURO Cup 2024 – England lost in Final to Spain
- Paris 2024 Olympics – Sailing worst result since Atlanta ’96
- 37th America’s Cup – GB failed to reach Challenger stage since 1964
Following hot on the heels of the Olympic Closing Ceremony comes The Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup preceded by the third and final Preliminary Regatta, starting on Thursday 22 August.
The Barcelona Preliminary Regatta is a non-scoring race event in which the defender, ETNZ, gets to ‘race’ with the five challengers, running through to Sunday 25 August.
The Preliminary Regatta comprises of 15 match races, maximum four per day, to arrive at a Final match race between the top two teams.
This is the first time that the six America’s Cup teams have raced against one another in their second generation AC75 Cup boats. So we could see some rapid – back to the drawing-board moments – as the pecking order becomes clear and the design teams attempt to improve their chances.
Hopefully the weather will be more cooperative than it was for the recent Olympic sailing events in Marseilles.
This long weekend of racing (22-25 August) allows spectators to visit the free-entry Port Vell Race Village, ahead of the Louis Vuitton Cup selection series and then the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match.
The America’s Cup Race Village along Moll de la Fusta opens at 12:00 hr and closes between 22:00–23:00 hr, depending on the day and scheduled activities.
Note that there is a capacity control system in place to prevent overcrowding.
Following very quickly on this event will be The Louis Vuitton Cup – Challenger Selection Series from 29 August to 7 October.
This is the event that decides who will get to compete against the Cup holders, Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ), and has been the stumbling point for recent British America’s Cup challengers, none making it to meet the Defender in an actual America’s Cup Match.
Although Ben Ainslie’s INEOS Britannia team are the Challenger of Record, this gives them no on-water advantage when it comes to actually competing in the America’s Cup Match, that is decided by the Challenger Selection event.
The winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final becomes the actual Challenger and will meet the Defender ETNZ in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match from 12 Oct.
The five America’s Cup challengers are:
- GBR – INEOS Britannia (Challenger of Record)
- SUI – Alinghi Red Bull Racing
- USA – NYYC American Magic
- ITA – Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
- FRA – Orient Express Racing Team.
The 37th Cup Defender is Emirates Team New Zealand.
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Your Summer of Sport – The EURO CUP, the Paris Olympics . . . and The America’s Cup?
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