Key dates for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup released

The dates for the Preliminary Regatta, Louis Vuitton Cup and the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match have been released.

Racing will get underway for the four-day Preliminary Regatta starting on the 22 August 2024.

The 37th Cup event will run from 20 August to 27 October 2024 with the key dates as follows:

Preliminary Regatta: 22 – 25 August
Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robins: 29 August – 8 September
Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals: 14– 19 September
Louis Vuitton Cup Finals: 26 September – 5 October
Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match: 12 October- 21 October

All six America’s Cup teams will contest the Preliminary Regatta 22 – 25 August and this first meeting of the new AC75’s will be a crucial reveal for the design teams to see if their thousands of design hours have produced a competitive boat, a dog . . . or even a game-changing winner.

The pace then really takes-off as just four days later, on 29 August, the Louis Vuitton Cup will begin with two Round Robins with all six competing teams racing, including the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand.

The double Round Robin racing is scheduled to finish on 8 September, and the Defender will then withdraw (having discovered how their AC75 compares with those of the challengers) to await the result of the semi-final and final rounds, to find out who they will meet in the actual Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match for the ‘Auld Mug’.

Note that results from all races during the Round Robin stage between a Challenger and the Defender will not count towards the semi-final rankings.

Which means, one challenger will be eliminated, and the top four Challengers will advance through to the Louis Vuitton Semi Finals stage on the 14 September.

The top qualifier will select their semi-final opponent and in each half of the semi-final draw it’s a first-to-five, best of nine race format.

The Louis Vuitton Cup Final starting on the 26 September will see the winning semi-finalists sail a best-of-thirteen (first to seven) series to decide the Challenger.

Finally, starting on the 12 October the Defender and Challenger will meet in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match in a best-of-thirteen races (first to seven) with an expected conclusion by the 21 October 2024.

Reserve days are scheduled for the 22 to 27 October if required.

The AC37 challengers are:
INEOS Britannia (GBR)
Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI)
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA)
NYYC American Magic (USA)
Orient Express Racing Team (FRA)

In addition to the 37th America’s Cup schedule, America’s Cup Events (ACE) for both the Youth and Puig Women’s America’s Cup regattas will take place using AC40 boats.

These events are scheduled to take place between the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals and Finals.

The key dates are as follows:

Youth America’s Cup: 17 – 26 September
Puig Women’s America’s Cup: 5 – 13 October

The racing and training schedule for each event runs along the same format with Official Practice preceding the race days before the fleet in each respective regatta is split into two groups of six boats for an eight race opening series.

The fleet cut will follow with the top six teams advancing to a four-race fleet-race to decide the top two boats in each series.

The Youth America’s Cup final – a one race, winner-takes-all shoot out is scheduled to take place on 26 September and the Women’s America’s Cup final on 13 October.

The Youth and Women challengers are:

Spain, Netherlands, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Sweden, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy and United States.