Sports
America’s Cup format, rule changes explained as world’s oldest sporting battle resumes
The America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, returns this year for its 37th edition.
First contested in 1851, the a 183-year-old sporting challenge has become one of the most highly-anticipated sailing events on the calendar, with fast-paced racing and engineering at the fore of its appeal.
After winning the previous America’s Cup in 2021, Emirates Team New Zealand dictated the location and sections of the rules of engagement for this year’s competition, which will be held in Barcelona.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 2024 America’s Cup ahead what promises to be a thrilling preliminary regatta, starting Thursday night (AEST).
Watch the 37th America’s Cup LIVE on Fox Sports, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
FORMAT
The America’s Cup and the Challenger Selection Series, this year called the Louis Vuitton Cup, is comprised of head-to-head match races where two boats sail against each other.
Emirates Team New Zealand, known as the Defender having won the previous competition, earned immediate qualification for the America’s Cup match, while their opponent will be determined in the Louis Vuitton Cup, which runs from August 29 to October 7.
The Louis Vuitton Cup winner will be decided after a series of round robins, semi-finals and finals, with five boats competing this year.
The America’s Cup match, contested between the Defender and a challenging vessel, is a best-of-13 series with one point awarded for each victory. The first team to win seven points is declared champions, becoming the Defender of the 38th America’s Cup.
Each competing vessel must be designed and built solely in the country that it represents, while this year marks the first time a New Zealand team has chosen to defend an America’s Cup win overseas.
PRELIMINARY REGATTA
Before the Louis Vuitton Cup gets underway, the six boats will compete in their new AC75s at the third and final Preliminary Regatta in Barcelona.
Points won at the Preliminary Regatta do not count towards progression or elimination, but it gives the teams an opportunity to get a glimpse at the competition before the Louis Vuitton Cup.
The Preliminary Regatta gets underway in Barcelona on Thursday, running through to Sunday.
SCHEDULE
August 21: Preliminary Regatta Practice day
August 22-25: Barcelona Preliminary Regatta
August 29 – September 8: Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robins 1 & 2
September 14-19: Louis Vuitton Cup Semifinals
September 26 – October 7: Louis Vuitton Cup Finals
October 12-27: The America’s Cup
HOW TO WATCH
Every race in the Louis Vuitton Cup and America’s Cup will be shown live on Fox Sports and streaming platform Kayo Sports.
Coverage gets underway this Thursday at 10pm AEST.
BOATS
The AC75s, an innovative 75-foot foiling monohull first introduced at the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland in 2021, will return this year for their second outing albeit with considerable tweaks and improvement.s.
“When you look at the boat now, the boat that we’re going to be launching soon (compared) to what we had last time, to us, is a big step on,” Emirates Team New Zealand’s chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge said.
“There’s a lot of stuff from the outside that you’ll never see – the control systems and everything, the technique and how you sail the boat – a lot of that stuff you won’t see, but to us there’s been some big steps forward.
“I would expect all the boats are going to be a big step forward, and who knows? What typically happens with these rules is when you go from one iteration to the next, slowly they all start to merge together. So, they may look similar.”
TEAMS
Emirates Team New Zealand (The Defender)
Yacht: Taihoro
Country: New Zealand
CEO: Grant Dalton
Helmsman: Peter Burling
INEOS Britannia
Yacht: Britannia
Country: Britain
CEO: Sir Ben Ainslie
Helmsman: Sir Ben Ainslie
American Magic
Yacht: Patriot
Country: America
CEO: Mike Cazer
President: Terry Hutchinson
Helmsman: Terry Hutchinson
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team
Yacht: Tifosi
Country: Italy
Chairman: Patrizio Bertelli
Helmsmen: Max Sirena, Francesco Bruni, Jimmy Spithill
Alinghi Red Bull Racing
Yacht: BoatOne
Country: Switzerland
Team Principal: Ernesto Bertarelli
Helmsmen: Arnaud Psarofaghis, Maxime Bachelin, Nicolas Charbonnier
Orient Express Racing Team
Yacht: Orient Express
Country: France
CEOs: Bruno Dubois, Stephan Kandler
Helmsmen: Quentin Delapierre, Kevin Peponnet
RULE CHANGES
There are slight changes to the boat regulations this year, with crew numbers reduced from 11 to eight on the foiling monohulls.
To reduce costs, teams will only be permitted to build one AC75 for the America’s Cup, while national rules have become more strict — 100 per cent of the race crew for each competitor has to be a passport holder of the country of the team’s yacht club, or have been physically present in that country for 18 months between March 2018 and March 2021.
That’s the case for Australian sailing great Tom Slingsby, who will feature as part of the American Magic team having previously hlelped Oracle Team USA to America’s Cup glory.
PAST WINNERS
2021 — Team New Zealand
2017 — Team New Zealand
2013 — Oracle Team USA
2010 — BMW Oracle Racing (United States)
2007 — Alinghi
2003 — Alinghi
2000 — Team New Zealand
1995 — Team New Zealand
1992 — America3 (United States)
1988 — Stars & Stripes ‘89 (United States)
1987 — Stars & Stripes ‘87 (United States)
1983 — Australia II (Australia)
1980 — Freedom (United States)
1977 — Courageous (United States)
1974 — Courageous (United States)
1970 — Intrepid (United States)
1967 — Intrepid (United States)
1964 — Constellation (United States)
1962 — Weatherly (United States)
1958 — Columbia (United States)
1937 — Ranger (United States)
1934 — Rainbow (United States)
1930 — Enterprise (United States)
1920 — Resolute (United States)
1903 — Reliance (United States)
1901 — Columbia (United States)
1899 — Columbia (United States)
1895 — Defender (United States)
1893 — Vigilant (United States)
1887 — Volunteer (United States)
1886 — Mayflower (United States)
1885 — Puritan (United States)
1881 — Mischief (United States)
1876 — Madeleine (United States)
1871 — Columbia/Sappho (United States)
1870 — Magic (United States)
1851 — America (United States)
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