The Next America's Cup: When Will It Be Held?

The next America's Cup boat race, the 37th staging of the competition, will take place in Barcelona, Spain, from 12 October 2024. The race will be contested between the current holder, Emirates Team New Zealand, and the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup, INEOS Britannia. The America's Cup is the oldest international sporting trophy, dating back to 1851, and is widely considered one of the most challenging sporting events.

The 37th America's Cup

The Defender of the America's Cup is Emirates Team New Zealand, representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. They will be racing against INEOS Britannia, the 'Challenger of Record' from the United Kingdom, who are in charge of the Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selection Series). 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.

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

The America's Cup Match is a best-of-13-race series, with each race being a match race between the two teams. The winner of each race scores one point, and the loser scores no points. The first team to score seven points will become the Defender of the 38th America's Cup.

The boats used in the 37th America's Cup are the AC75 and AC40. The AC75s are foiling monohull yachts, with foils that lift them out of the water, enabling them to generate momentum and sail four times faster than the wind. The AC40s were used for the UniCredit Youth and Puig Women's America's Cup events and as training vessels for the main teams competing in the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup.

The 2024 location: Barcelona, Spain

The 37th staging of the America's Cup will be held in Barcelona, Spain, from 12 October 2024. The America's Cup is the oldest international sporting trophy, dating back to 1851, and one of the hardest sporting endeavours. Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is a beautiful, cosmopolitan city known for its art, architecture, and vibrancy. It is one of the most visited cities on the planet, attracting millions of tourists each year.

The America's Cup will take place in the heart of the city, situated around Port Vell and along the beach to Port Olímpic. The racecourse is located just outside the port entrance breakwaters, with significant FanZones, beach viewing platforms, and a hospitality area providing the perfect vista for spectators. The event village will be located along Moll de la Fusta and will offer a free experience for everyone to connect with the boats, team bases, and the event itself.

The competition will feature five events, including the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta, the Uncredit Youth America's Cup, the Puig Women's America's Cup, and the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup. The races will be intense, with the best sailing talent in the world competing for the prestigious trophy.

Barcelona has a rich history, founded by the Romans in 12 BC and became an important staging point and trading port in the Mediterranean during the late Middle Ages. The city experienced a renaissance in recent times, triggered by the World Expositions in 1888 and 1929, and the Olympic Games in 1992.

The city has much to offer visitors, including world-class sports events, such as the upcoming America's Cup and the football team Barcelona FC, housed in the Camp Nou stadium. For food lovers, Barcelona boasts a variety of cuisines from all over the world, as well as excellent Michelin-starred restaurants and nearby wineries.

The America's Cup in Barcelona promises to be a spectacular event, combining the excitement of the races with the beauty and culture of the host city.

The 2024 dates: 12-27 October

The 37th America's Cup will be held in Barcelona, Spain, from the 12th to the 27th of October 2024. This will be the first time a New Zealand team has chosen to defend a Cup win overseas. The competition will be held in the heart of Barcelona, with the sailing teams setting up their bases around Port Vell and along the beach to Port Olímpic.

The America's Cup is the oldest international sporting trophy, dating back to 1851. The New York Yacht Club held the trophy for 132 years before losing it to Australia in 1983. Since then, only teams from the United States, Switzerland, and New Zealand have won the Cup. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is the defending champion for the 2024 America's Cup, represented by Emirates Team New Zealand.

The 2024 America's Cup will feature six teams, with four returning from the 2021 competition and two new additions. The teams will compete in a series of races, with the winner being the first to achieve seven wins. The challenger will be determined through the Louis Vuitton Cup, a series of races held before the America's Cup to decide which team will face Emirates Team New Zealand in the final.

The boats used in the 2024 America's Cup will be the AC75 class, which are foiling monohull yachts that can sail up to four times faster than the wind. The AC75s have been refined since their debut in the 36th America's Cup, with wider foils and improvements that increase speed and performance. The AC40s, smaller boats with a four-person crew, will also be featured in the Youth and Women's America's Cup events.

The 2024 teams

The 2024 America's Cup saw six teams compete for the title. The teams were:

• Emirates Team New Zealand – The current holder of the America's Cup and the Defender. Emirates Team New Zealand represent the Royal Auckland Yacht Club in America's Cup racing.
• INEOS Britannia – The Challenger of Record for the 37th America's Cup. INEOS Britannia, led by Ben Ainslie, is the first British team to compete in three consecutive America's Cup cycles since 1930.
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli – Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli has a long history with the America's Cup, having first competed in 2000 and participating in every Cup since, except for the 2010 edition. They were the challenger of record for the 36th America's Cup.
• American Magic – Representing the New York Yacht Club, American Magic is making a return to the America's Cup after their 2021 campaign was cut short due to a capsize.
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing – Led by Ernesto Bertarelli, Alinghi is making a return to the America's Cup after a long break. The Swiss team previously won the America's Cup in 2003 and successfully defended it in 2007.
• Orient Express Racing Team – The French entry to the 2024 America's Cup, backed by Accor Group and its brands. As a late entry, they struck a deal with Team New Zealand to buy their boat design.

The 2024 America's Cup was the 37th staging of the prestigious yacht race, held in Barcelona, Spain, from 12 October 2024. The race was a first-to-seven-wins match series between the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, and the Challenger, INEOS Britannia, who won the Louis Vuitton Challenger Selections Series.

The history of the race

The America's Cup is the oldest international competition in any sport, with a history spanning over 170 years. The cup itself was manufactured in 1848 and was first called the "RYS £100 Cup". It was first raced for on 22 August 1851 around the Isle of Wight off Southampton and Portsmouth in Hampshire, England, in a fleet race between the New York Yacht Club's America and 15 yachts of the Royal Yacht Squadron. The race was witnessed by Queen Victoria and the future Edward VII and won by America.

The cup was then permanently donated to the NYYC in 1857, under a Deed of Gift that renamed the trophy as the 'America's Cup' after the first winner and required it to be made available for perpetual international competition. The NYYC successfully defended the trophy 24 times in a row before being defeated by the Royal Perth Yacht Club, represented by the yacht Australia II, in 1983.

The America's Cup race has been held between one defending vessel and one challenging vessel since the 1920s. Each competing vessel must be designed, built, and, as much as possible, outfitted solely in the country that it represents. The competition was a best four of seven races from the first defence of the cup in 1870 until 1995, when it became a best five of nine races until 2007.

The 36th America's Cup in 2021 was won by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, making them the second most successful club in the competition's history. The 37th America's Cup took place in Barcelona in 2024, with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron defending their title against the Royal Yacht Squadron's INEOS Britannia. The Royal Yacht Squadron won the 2024 competition, becoming the new Defender of the America's Cup.

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