Feature

Final Week of America’s Cup World Series

Published on November 15th, 2016

The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series, the first stage of competition in the 2017 America’s Cup, began in England during the summer of 2015 and will come to a close this week at the ninth and final event in Fukuoka, Japan on November 18-20.

Featuring all six America’s Cup teams racing in foiling, one-design AC45F catamarans, the event will determine the final overall rankings for the America’s Cup World Series. But what is really at stake is finishing in the top two overall positions which will gain an advantage that may help to determine who wins the 35th America’s Cup.

For a full description of the scoring format… click here.

Land Rover BAR are the leaders of the pack going into Japan, and they have a decent 14 point gap to Oracle Team USA in second on 423 points, with Emirates Team New Zealand three points off the Americans on 420. All three teams have a good chance of winning the America’s Cup World Series, but, mathematically, so do SoftBank Team Japan, now lying in fourth on 399 points.

Behind them, Artemis Racing also have a mathematical chance of finishing the 2015-16 season in style, but second place overall is the highest they can aim for. In sixth place on 360 points is Groupama Team France, but they also, as all the teams ahead of them do, have a very strong reason to excel as the overall results are used for breaking ties in the next round.

When the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers come to a close, the final results will be determined by the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series rankings, if there is a tie between teams. So, finish well in Fukuoka and that result could see a team through to the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs, instead of going out in round one.

Points, trophies, and ways to progress through the 2017 America’s Cup – everything is there to be taken in Japan. That means the action is going to be intense. Do not miss a minute; it will be the showdown the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series deserves.

Event details – Scoreboard – Facebook