The 2024 America's Cup was the 37th staging of the America's Cup yacht race. It was contested from 12 October 2024 as a first-to-seven-wins match-race series in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, between Taihoro, representing the defender, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron;[2] and Britannia, representing the Royal Yacht Squadron of the United Kingdom, which won the Louis Vuitton Challenger Selections Series, also in Barcelona, on 4 October 2024.[3][1][4] It was the first time the UK has sailed in an America’s Cup match since 1964.[5]
Immediately after Te Rehutai achieved its seventh win in the 36th America's Cup, the Chairman of Royal Yacht Squadron Racing, Bertie Bicket, issued a pre-arranged, "friendly" challenge to the Commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Aaron Young.[6][7] This made Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd the Challenger of Record for the next America's Cup.[8]
The America's Cup is a highly prestigious event, being the oldest continuous competition in international sport, and the fourth oldest continuous sporting trophy of any kind.[10][better source needed] As of 31 March 2021, a total of 36 cup matches have been held. With 25 matches the New York Yacht Club has won the most titles so far.
The 36th match from 10 to 17 March 2021 was the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's fourth America's Cup victory, following its wins in 1995, 2000 and 2017, making it the second most successful club in the competition's history. The 2021 win also made the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron the only club to have twice successfully challenged for and then defended the America's Cup.[11]
Terms of Challenge
Background
The challenge by Royal Yacht Squadron to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron was made on board the 110 foot luxury sailing yacht Imagine immediately following the completion of the 10th and final race of the 36th America's Cup on 17 March 2021.[12][13]
The challenge was a pre-arranged "friendly" challenge arranged by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd and their respective sailing teams Team New Zealand and Ineos Team UK. The fact of the challenge and some details were made public on 19 March 2021. Both the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd consider the challenge to be valid.[14][15][16][17]
The full text and terms of the challenge have not been made public, but a number of areas of agreement have been revealed in media statements by the
Royal Yacht Squadron and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and their sailing teams, and in subsequent public comments. Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron said they would negotiate and issue a protocol to govern the 37th America's Cup by 19 November 2021, eight months after they revealed initial information about the challenge.[14]
It has been agreed the America's Cup 75 (AC75), a 23 m (75 ft) foiling monohull class developed and used for the first time for the 36th America's Cup shall remain the class of yacht for the 37th America's Cup. Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron also intend that the AC75 class should be used for the 38th America's Cup, and say that agreement to this will be a condition of entry for any other complying clubs wishing to enter any challenger series for the 37th America's Cup.[14]
For the first two preliminary regattas as well as the Youth & Women's Americas Cup the AC75 derived AC40 one design class is used. Additionally, the competing teams are allowed to develop 40 foot test boats called LEQ12.[18]
Nationality Rules
It has been agreed a new crew nationality rule will require 100% of race crews to either be a passport holder of the country the team's yacht club as of 19 March 2021 or to have been physically present in that country (or, acting on behalf of such a yacht club in Auckland, the venue of the 36th America's Cup Events) for two of the previous three years prior to 18 March 2021. There will be a discretionary provision allowing a quota of non-nationals on the race crew for competitors from "emerging nations", although this term and the size of the quota is yet to be defined.[14]
Cost Reduction Programme
To reduce costs, it has been agreed teams will be restricted to building only one new AC75 for the 37th America's Cup. In addition, Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron have committed to "investigating and agreeing a meaningful package of campaign cost reduction measures including measures to attract a higher number of challengers and to assist with the establishment of new teams".[14]
Venue
Royal Yacht Squadron and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron planned to announce the venue for the 37th America's Cup by 19 September 2021. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her Government wanted to see the cup defended in Auckland in 2023, and announced the availability of Government funding to assist Team New Zealand to stay together, subject to a number of conditions, including an expectation the Cup will be defended in New Zealand.[19]
However, on 29 March 2022, Barcelona was announced as the host of the 2024 America's Cup. Barcelona's bid saw an unprecedented alliance across public and private entities working together to attract the America's Cup to Barcelona which included the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona City Council, City Hall of Barcelona, Port of Barcelona, Barcelona Global's investment agency and Barcelona & Partners.[20] Of the previous 36 cup matches, 33 have been held in the defender's home waters. The Deed of Gift provides for the defender to name the venue if they and the Challenger of Record cannot reach agreement.
Dates
The 37th America's Cup will be raced in Barcelona as a first-to-seven-wins series from 12 October 2024. It is expected to be completed on or before 21 October 2024.[4][16] This complies with the deed which requires the match to be held in summer or summer-shoulder months. In the southern hemisphere, this is defined as between 1 November and 30 April. In the northern hemisphere, it is defined as between 1 May and 31 October.[21]
Royal Yacht Squadron and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron announced the establishment of a single Event Authority responsible for the conduct of all racing and the management of commercial activities relating to the 37th America's Cup.[14] Therefore, 'ACE (America's Cup Event) Barcelona S.L.' was created as the sole Event Authority for the 37th America's Cup in Barcelona and is exclusively responsible for the planning, management and delivery of a successful event.[23]
Teams
The Royal Yacht Squadron is the Challenger of Record for the 37th America's Cup.[6][7] Their team, INEOS Britannia, previously lost to Emirates Team New Zealand in the 2017 Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals, and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in the 2021 Prada Cup final. The Royal Yacht Squadron's challenge will be the first time a British team has competed in three consecutive America's Cup cycles since 1930.[7]
Circolo della Vela Sicilia, represented by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, have indicated their interest in returning for the 37th America's Cup. Luna Rossa previously lost to Emirates Team New Zealand in the 2021 America's Cup final. In a statement, the team said that they looked "forward to returning to racing on the AC75s in the next edition of the America's Cup".[24]
The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) had indicated interest in returning for the 37th America's Cup. American Magic previously lost to Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in the 2021 Prada Cup semi-final. The NYYC submitted a challenge to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron on 6 May 2021, alongside an Evolutionary Draft Protocol for the 37th America's Cup.[25] The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron released a statement in response, where they said they were "delighted to hear that the New York Yacht Club" were interested, but questioned, "their motives for such a presumptuous statement when entries [did not] open for some time."[26] The Royal Yacht Squadron and Ineos Team UK also released a statement in response to the New York Yacht Club's challenge, stating that they were "working collaboratively with the Royal Yacht Squadron and Team New Zealand".[26][27]
The NYYC had dropped American Magic and announced a tentative partnership with Stars & Stripes, then announced they would no longer pursue the 37th Americas Cup, and then on 7 January opted back in with American Magic.[28]
The first two preliminary regattas have been raced in AC40 one design yachts. The third preliminary regatta in Barcelona will see the new AC75 yachts, that will also compete in the challenger series and the America's cup.[44]
Unlike the first rounds which were fleet races, the third is held in match racing format – of 15 races plus a final. The detailed race results for round three, Barcelona, are as follows:
The 2024 Louis Vuitton Cup is the competition to determine the official challenger for the 2024 America's Cup was held between August – October 2024 in Barcelona. The format was a double round-robin of all five challengers plus the defender Team New Zealand (who does not score points), followed by semifinals of four highest ranked challengers in best of 9 match race series, the winners of which then compete in a best of 13 match race series.[46]
The America's Cup match will be a best of 13 race series to be held October 2024 between Taihoro, owned and sailed by the Emirates Team New Zealand syndicate representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and INEOS Britannia, the winner of the qualifying event – the 2024 Louis Vuitton Cup.[47] Two races per day will be held, starting from 12 October, with Reserve Days on 14–15 Oct, 17 and 22–27.[46]
Alongside the protocol for the 37th Americas Cup, a Youth & Women's event was announced to be held in the AC40 class racing in Barcelona alongside the Americas Cup. The youth event is open to sailors under 25 years of age, with two male and two female sailors on each boat, whilst the women's event is open to any female sailors.[citation needed]
