Everything you need to know about the 36th America’s Cup

Which teams are in the 37th America's Cup?

In 2021 four teams raced in fully foiling AC75 monohulls which were conceived specifically for the event by then Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand and Challenger of Record, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.

Emirates Team New Zealand - America's Cup Defender

As the current holder of the America's Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand will be racing again in the 37th America’s Cup. As the Defender, the Kiwis will be guaranteed a spot in the America's Cup regatta itself.

Any other challengers will need to race each other in preliminary regattas for the right to be the single challenger in the America's Cup regatta itself.

Emirates Team New Zealand represent the Royal Auckland Yacht Club in America's Cup racing.

INEOS Britannia – America's Cup Challenger of Record

The Challenger of Record is the name given to the first yacht club to challenge the holder of the America's Cup once it has been won.

When Emirates Team New Zealand successfully completed their defence of the America's Cup in 2021, the Royal Yacht Squadron immediately issued a challenge on behalf of Ben Ainslie's INEOS Team UK (now called INEOS Britannia), so they are Challenger of Record for the 37th America's Cup.

INEOS Britannia and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team has strengthened an exhausting relationship, with the British challenger standing to benefit from the technical and engineering experience of the multiple World Champion F1 team.

There is an emerging theme ahead of the 37th America's Cup of F1 involvement, with Alinghi (see below) also joining up with an F1 team in the form of Red Bull Racing. There are rumours too of Ferrari potentially joining up with a team.

American Magic

In 2021 in addition to Emirates Team New Zealand (Defender), Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (2021 Challenger of Record), and INEOS Team UK (37th America's Cup Challenger of Record) there was an additional challenger in the New York Yacht Clubs' American Magic.

This marked the return of the New York Yacht Club to the America's Cup. The NYYC held the America's Cup from its inception in 1851 right the way through to 1983, when they were defeated by the Royal Perth Yacht Club's Australia II.

American Magic have confirmed their entry into the 37th America's Cup and will, once again, be representing the New York Yacht Club.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Another team making a return to the America's Cup scene after a long break will be Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi team. The Swiss team won the America's Cup in 2003 and then completed a successful defence in 2007.

However, a serious falling out over the potential rules for the next America's Cup saw Alinghi taken to court by Larry Ellison and his BMW Oracle team, the 2010 America's Cup was held between Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing in a Deed of Gift match that saw the teams fight it out in huge multihulls.

BMW Oracle won the contest and Alinghi stepped away from America's Cup racing. Their return is a welcome one and their Cup history alongside their partnership with Red Bull Racing should see them a solid challenge from the off.

What boats will be used in the 37th America's Cup

The Protocol for the 37th America's Cup has been released including the rules for the class of boat to be used in the next edition of the event. Once again the America's Cup will be raced for in AC75s. These boats were first brought in ahead of the 36th America's Cup so this will be their second outing.

The foiling monohulls will be slightly different, with rules being tweaked partly aimed at improving light wind performance and reducing crew numbers from 11 to 8.

Teams will only be allowed to build one AC75 and nationality rules are strict this time around requiring 100% of the race crew for each competitor to either be a passport holder of the country of the team’s yacht club or to have been physically present in that country for 18 months of the previous three years prior to 17th March 2021.

Emirates Team New Zealand saw success in 2017 in Bermuda with their Cyclors. These may well return for the 37th America’s Cup.

When it comes to the events, there will be up to three Preliminary Regattas, the first two raced in a new one-design class of AC40s, the last one at the Match venue in AC75s. The Challenger Selection Series and the America’s Cup Match will be held in 2024.

Where will the 37th America's Cup be held?

The home city of Emirates Team New Zealand and the venue for the 36th America's Cup, Auckland, had an exclusive period in which to tender for the regatta immediately after the Kiwis' successful defence in 2021, but the sums on offer were not enough, and Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton cast the net wider internationally after rejecting a NZ$99 million (£50 million) offer from the New Zealand government.

A number venues were mooted including: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Cork, Ireland; Malaga, Spain, but Barcelona eventually won out.

When will the 37th America's Cup be raced?

The America's Cup will be held in 2024 in Barcelona, though a specific set of dates have not yet been released.

The stated aim is to hold the event in the September-October window, which will allow for the Olympic Games in Paris, France to conclude and also offers a decent range of weather with wind speeds usually around the 9-15 knot mark.

Match Racing

Though the America's Cup was first raced for in 1851 (and won by the schooner America from which the trophy gets its name), this race was between a fleet of boats. A challenge by the British in the 1870s was also conducted as a fleet race.

By the 1880s, following a protest from the British, the America's Cup was decided in a head-to-head match race where two boats sail against each other.

Match racing is a particular skill and encourages aggressive manoeuvres using the rules to put your opponent at a disadvantage. This cut-and-thrust racing, where the only objective is to beat your opponent, has long been at the heart of America's Cup racing and produces a thrilling spectacle.

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