The 38th America’s Cup has bowed to popular pressure and revealed an opening series of six AC75 fleet races for the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series in Naples.
The Conditions Governing the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series and the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup Match in Naples have been issued by the Regatta Director, Iain Murray.
The planned six opening races will be the first time that AC75 yachts have raced together on the same racecourse in a fleet race format.
Group Stage 1
Group Stage 1 racing comprises three fleet races on Saturday 22 May and three fleet races on Sunday 23 May 2027, scored as a series.
The Challengers fleet series score will be added to their Stage 2 score.
Group Stage 2
The competition to select the Challenger that will face Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup Match, continues with Stage 2, one-on-one match-races in pairs.
- Round Robin No. 1 Series – 26 to 28 May consisting of 21 races
- Round Robin No. 2 Series – 29 to 31 May consisting of 21 races
- Round Robin No. 3 Series – 9 to 11 June consisting of 21 races
Top three Challengers automatically progress to the Semi-Finals.
Note that the Defender will compete in the racing from the Fleet Races through to the end of Round Robin No. 3, but the Defender results will not be used in the final Challenger standings.
Group Stage 3 – 12-13 June
Other three Challengers will compete in a Repechage on 12 and 13 May. The winner is the first to score at least 3 points will progress to the Semi-Finals. The two losers leave the competition.
Semi-Finals
The four top Challengers will then compete in the Semi-Finals over the 16 to 20 June, and the two winners will progress to compete in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final.
Louis Vuitton Cup Final
13 races scheduled, first to seven wins the right to challenge for the America’s Cup. The scheduled series, if it goes the distance begins on the weekend of the 26-27 June and could finish over the following weekend of the 3-4 July 2027.
The Winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup Trophy will proceed on to face the America’s Cup holder, Emirates Team New Zealand.
38th America’s Cup
The schedule for the start of the Match begins over the weekend of the 10-11 July 2027.
Again, it’s a 13 race series with first to score seven race wins. Should the Match go the distance, the final day is scheduled for Monday 19 July.
Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series 2027
