America’s Cup: Get your popcorn ready

The 36th America’s Cup attracted three challengers, with the PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series to advance the most worthy team to face the Defender Emirates Team New Zealand in the 2021 America’s Cup Match.

The selection series began with a schedule of four round robins (Jan. 15-17 and Jan. 22-24) in which the winner of the series (INEOS Team UK) qualified for the Prada Cup Final and the remaining two Challengers (Luna Rossa and American Magic) competed in the Semi-Final Series (Jan. 29-Feb. 2).

It was Luna Rossa which advanced to the Final (Feb. 13–22), soundly beating INEOS Team UK 7-1 to earn entry for the Match.

The 36th America’s Cup Match racing schedule has two races per day planned for March 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15. A tentative race time window is estimated for 16:00 – 18:00 local time.

Additional reserve days have been scheduled but the intention is to complete the event on the weekend of March 13-14, weather permitting. The winner will be the first team to score seven points

All dates and times are for Auckland, New Zealand. To convert to your timezone, click here.

UPDATE: The latest COVID-19 lockdown delayed the start until March 10. The revised schedule has two races per day on March 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, and each day after that. The current schedule has racing every day until either the Defender Emirates Team New Zealand or the Challenger Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli reaches 7 wins.

HOW TO WATCH:
• Details on watching the races, click here.
• Current standings, click here.
• Specific viewing options in the USA, click here.
• The Cup Experience, a pre-race show hosted by Tucker Thompson and Jack Griffin, will be on Facebook and YouTube one hour before the start time on every race day.

Details: www.americascup.com

36th America’s Cup
In addition to Challenges from Italy, USA, and Great Britain that were accepted during the initial entry period (January 1 to June 30, 2018), eight additional Notices of Challenge were received by the late entry deadline on November 30, 2018. Of those eight submittals, entries from Malta, USA, and the Netherlands were also accepted. Here’s the list:

Defender:
• Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL)

Challengers:
• Luna Rossa (ITA) – Challenger of Record
• American Magic (USA)
• INEOS Team UK (GBR)
• Malta Altus Challenge (MLT) – WITHDRAWN
• Stars + Stripes Team USA (USA) – WITHDRAWN
• DutchSail (NED) – WITHDRAWN

Key America’s Cup dates:
✔ September 28, 2017: 36th America’s Cup Protocol released
✔ November 30, 2017: AC75 Class concepts released to key stakeholders
✔ January 1, 2018: Entries for Challengers open
✔ March 31, 2018: AC75 Class Rule published
✔ June 30, 2018: Entries for Challengers close
✔ August 31, 2018: Location of the America’s Cup Match and The PRADA Cup confirmed
✔ August 31, 2018: Specific race course area confirmed
✔ November 30, 2018: Late entries deadline
✔ March 31, 2019: Boat 1 can be launched (DELAYED)
✔ 2nd half of 2019: 2 x America’s Cup World Series events (CANCELLED)
✔ October 1, 2019: US$1million late entry fee deadline (NOT KNOWN)
✔ February 1, 2020: Boat 2 can be launched (DELAYED)
✔ April 23-26, 2020: First (1/3) America’s Cup World Series event in Cagliari, Sardinia (CANCELLED)
✔ June 4-7, 2020: Second (2/3) America’s Cup World Series event in Portsmouth, England (CANCELLED)
✔ December 17-20, 2020: Third (3/3) America’s Cup World Series event in Auckland, New Zealand
✔January 15-February 22, 2021: The PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series
• March 6-15, 2021: The America’s Cup Match

Youth America’s Cup Competition (CANCELLED)
• February 18-23, 2021
• March 1-5, 2021
• March 8-12, 2021

AC75 launch dates:
September 6, 2019 – Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Boat 1
September 10, 2019 – American Magic (USA), Boat 1; actual launch date earlier but not released
October 2, 2019 – Luna Rossa (ITA), Boat 1
October 4, 2019 – INEOS Team UK (GBR), Boat 1
October 16, 2020 – American Magic (USA), Boat 2
October 17, 2020 – INEOS Team UK (GBR), Boat 2
October 20, 2020 – Luna Rossa (ITA), Boat 2
November 19, 2020 – Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Boat 2

Details: www.americascup.com