Attendance Numbers Announced for America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth

(August 4, 2015) – The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth today announced attendance numbers for their 2015 event on July 23-26:

245,460 spectators over the 4 days
* 108,329 spectators within Southsea common event site
* 25,700 spectators on the water
* 111,431 watch the action from the sites around Portsmouth including the Historic Dockyard and Gunwharf Quays

On the only day of racing (July 25) there were 67,374 spectators on-site, 22,000 on-water, and 49,067 off-site to view the racing.

The event was the first ever America’s Cup racing to be held in the Solent since the historic first event back in 1851. The four-day event featured an event village which included a free Waterfront Festival Arena with family attractions and a Fanzone Arena with live stage appearances from sailing stars, plus some aerial displays from acrobatic stunt teams.

Sir Keith Mills, Chairman Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series, Portsmouth said;

“Despite the weather, the event delivered and the Saturday was a particular highlight, with over 60,000 people visiting the on-land spectator arena and over 22,000 watching the action from the water. The America’s Cup teams delivered spectacular racing on the water and with home team Land Rover BAR winning the event making it extra special.

“In addition to the amazing atmosphere created by the spectators, the feedback from our corporate partners and the media in attendance has been very positive, this is despite losing an event day due to the extreme weather on Sunday 26th July. We will be providing a full event economic and media impact report by the end of August to highlight the benefits of the event to the Portsmouth area and the initial results are hugely positive reading.

“We are now straight into planning mode for next year’s event, scheduled to be held between 21st and 24th July 2016, and there is little doubt that this event is now a must-attend event on the British sporting calendar.”

Despite strong winds and rain that cancelled the races on Sunday 26th July, the event welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Portsmouth who braved the elements, meeting the teams and attending and presenting the prizes to the competing teams.

Earlier in the day, The Duke and Duchess showed their support for the event and the British America’s Cup team when they met youngsters from the 1851 Trust, the official charity of Land Rover BAR and the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series, Portsmouth event, which seeks to inspire and engage a new generation through sailing and the marine industry.

Source: Edited from information provided by Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series, Portsmouth.

Background: The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) racing circuit forms part of the 35th America’s Cup programme, with scoring contributing to the selection of the 2017 America’s Cup Challenger. The ACWS will take place during 2015 and 2016 and will feature the one design foiling AC45F catamarans at a number of event locations around the world over the two years.

ACWS 2015 – Complete schedule
July 24-26: Portsmouth, UK
August 28-30: Gothenberg, Sweden
October 16-18: Bermuda

ACWS 2016 – Four to six events expected
July 22-24: Portsmouth, UK
Summer: Chicago, USA