Countdown to the America’s Cup

(February 15, 2017) – The century mark was reached today with now just 100 days until the start of the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda, which begins May 26 and extends through June 2017.

Preparations continue across the island with racing taking place on the Great Sound.

“When you see the progress that’s being made every day at the America’s Cup Village site in Dockyard, it’s now possible to visualize how the final village will look,” said Sir Russell Coutts, CEO of the America’s Cup.

A video flythrough offers a simulation of what the racecourse and the America’s Cup Village will look like.

 
“Another sign of how close we are to the start of the action is the launching of the America’s Cup Class (ACC) boats the teams will race in May and June. The step forward that these boats will have, in performance terms, is incredible. Races that, in past America’s Cup events, took hours, will now be played out in around 22 minutes.

“Incredibly the boats will perform at least the same number of maneuvers within this time, meaning this new format will place a premium on crew fitness and making accurate tactical decisions within this much more limited time frame.

“In the right conditions, the boats will most likely stay up on their foils for the entire race, which is going to produce fast moving racing for everyone watching at the venue as well as on TV and on the internet.

“As with all match racing, the start will be very important, as will the positioning and having smooth, well coordinated tacks and gybes. It’s going to be fascinating to see which teams will eventually qualify for the final races.

“In addition to the America’s Cup events, we will have the next generation of sailing superstars fighting it out in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, racing exactly the same foiling AC45 catamarans the America’s Cup teams have just used to compete in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series.

“Those teams will be running fleet races, compared to the America’s Cup itself which is all match racing, and the sight of eight AC45 foiling boats, raced by young guns hungry to show they have what it takes to move up to the ultimate level in the America’s Cup, well that’s going to be fascinating.

“At the other end of the spectrum, will be a celebration of our incredible America’s Cup history, with the majestic beauty of the America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta and the America’s Cup J Class Regatta, involving some of the most magnificent and graceful boats to ever race in the America’s Cup.

“Finally I want to touch on the America’s Cup Endeavour Program. This is an incredibly important part of the America’s Cup, using sailing to inspire and educate thousands of young Bermudians and around the world, and making sure that we create a positive lasting legacy.

“We have just seen two young Bermudian sailors, Ahzai Smith and Christopher Raymond, winning in the Gold and Silver Fleet races in the O’Pen Bic National Championships in New Zealand, and I can tell you from first hand experience that those young sailors achieved something incredibly special. Those boys are shining examples of what the America’s Cup Endeavour Program aims to achieve – creating opportunities that its participants had surely never dreamt of, and then helping them grab that chance and achieve more than they thought they could.

“The America’s Cup Endeavour Program would not exist without the support and help of a number of important partners, and the America’s Cup and all the events around it could not happen without the hard work, drive and determination of thousands of people, in Bermuda and worldwide. However, all this work is being done to create the greatest race on water, and now, just 100 days until it starts, it is all becoming very real. The countdown continues!”

Background: The 35th American’s Cup has attracted six teams (5 challengers and 1 defender) that will compete in the new 15-meter AC Class, with a series of qualifiers beginning on May 26, 2017 that lead to the start of the America’s Cup Match on June 17, 2017. Complete schedule.