The wonderful journey to the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona between August and October 2024 began with a series of preliminary Regattas that proved to be the perfect warm-up ahead of the Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selection Series) with some thrilling, nerve-wracking racing at two of the most outstanding sailing venues in the world.
The first event was held in Vilanova i la Geltrú between 14-17 September 2023 and despite some challenging weather conditions, gave an early indication of form as the teams raced in one-design, fully equalized AC40s.
By the time of the second Preliminary Regatta in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from the 29th November to the 2nd December 2023, a much clearer picture had emerged although there were some very notable performances through the competitive fleet.
The third and final Preliminary Regatta from the August 22-25, 2024 in Barcelona but the big difference will be that all teams will be racing their new AC75 yachts, built specifically for Spanish Mediterranean sea and weather conditions.
The races schedules are:
| LOUIS VUITTON PRELIMINARY REGATTA | 22-25 August |
| LOUIS VUITTON CUP ROUND ROBINS | 29 August to 8 September |
| LOUIS VUITTON CUP SEMI-FINAL | 14-19 September |
| FIRST 2 TO WIN 5 RACES LOUIS VUITTON CUP FINAL | 26 September to 5 October |
| FIRST TO WIN 7 RACES LOUIS VUITTON 37TH AMERICA’S CUP MATCH | 12 October to 21 October |
| FIRST TO WIN 7 RACES UNICREDIT YOUTH AMERICA’S CUP | 17-26 September |
| PUIG WOMEN’S AMERICA’S CUP | 5-13 October |
The holders of the America’s Cup are Emirates Team New Zealand representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, but some strong competition is coming for them, with INEOS Britannia, from the United Kingdom as the “Challenger of Record.”
The unique format of the Cup affords the defender, as the holder of the America’s Cup, the automatic right to bypass selection and proceed directly to the final “Match” whereas the challengers will undertake an intense multi-race series of round-robins to find the top yacht to take on the New Zealand team.
Confirmed entries are INEOS Britannia (GBR), Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI), Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA), NYYC American Magic (USA), and Orient Express Racing Team (FRA). Every team for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup is unique. The design of their boats and the technology they employ will be bespoke and highly refined, the result of tens of thousands of hours of computer and on-water testing.
The sailors are the very best on the planet, drawn from the worlds of the Olympic Games and high-performance foiling. Some are at their peak, others are still endeavoring toward their peak, while for some, this is their first America’s Cup.
What unites all the teams is their “commitment to the commitment” to quote the famous America’s Cup winner (and loser) Dennis Conner. It is an event like nothing else on the sporting calendar with rules, nuances, and intrigue that makes the America’s Cup so compelling.