37th America's Cup Barcelona racing schedule confirmed

Details have been released today of the racing schedule for the 37th America’s Cup taking place later this year in Barcelona, Spain.

An official notice to competitors issued jointly today by the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, and the Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia, sets out the entire AC37 Barcelona Racing Schedule.

Preliminary Regatta 3

First up will be the third and final Preliminary Regatta for this 37th America’s Cup cycle. Unlike the previous two stages in Spain and Saudi Arabia last year which saw fleet racing in AC40s, the Barcelona event will be a match racing regatta with the teams competing for the first time in their new third-generation AC75s.

After a free practice day on Tuesday August 20 the race committee will run an official practice day under race conditions on Wednesday August 21.

The event itself will see four days of match racing between the six teams with four matches staged each day and culminating in a match race final between the top two teams.

Louis Vuitton Challenger Series

The overall standings from the three preliminary regattas will be used to determine the seeding for the first round robin racing in the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series.

Following three days of boat measurement and scrutineering on Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday August 26 - 28 – the first round robin stage of the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series begins on Thursday August 29 and runs for four days to Sunday September 1 with four match races per day (The final race on September 1 will be the first match of RR2). Monday September 2 is a reserve day)

The second round robin stage (four races per day) takes place on September 3 - 4 and over the weekend of September 7 - 8 when there will be three match races on each day.

As well as the five Challengers – INEOS Britannia (GBR), Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI), Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA), NYYC American Magic (USA), and Orient Express Racing Team (FRA) – as the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand will also compete in the initial two round robin stages.

Louis Vuitton Challenger Series Semi Finals

The top four Challengers will go on to contest the first-to-five points Louis Vuitton Challenger Series Semi Final taking place over five days on Saturday / Sunday / Monday September 14 - 16 and Wednesday / Thursday September 18 - 19. (Tuesday September 17 and Friday / Saturday / Sunday September 20 - 22 are reserve days)

Louis Vuitton Challenger Series Final

The two semi final winning teams will go through to the first-to-seven points Louis Vuitton Challenger Series Final taking place on Thursday September 26, the weekend of September 28 - 29, Tuesday / Wednesday October 1 - 2, Friday / Saturday October 4 - 5. (Friday September 27, Monday September 30, Thursday October 3, and Sunday / Monday October 5 - 6 are reserve days.)

As well as receiving the Louis Vuitton Cup, the winner of the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series will then have one week to prepare to meet the Defender Emirates Team New Zealand to contest the first-to-seven points Match for the 37th America’s Cup.

The 37th America’s Cup Match

The Match will see two scheduled races per day with the first two days of racing taking place over the weekend of October 12 - 13.

After reserve days on Monday / Tuesday October 14 - 15, the finalists will race again Wednesday October 16.

Following another reserve day on Thursday October 17 the final scheduled races are scheduled to take place over four consecutive days from Friday October 18 to Monday October 21. (Tuesday October 22 to Sunday October 27 are reserve days.)

Youth and Puig Women’s America’s Cup regattas

Interwoven with the main programme will be the 12 teams in the Youth America’s Cup – where AC40 fleet racing (four races per day) is scheduled Tuesday / Wednesday September 17 - 18 and Friday Saturday September 20 - 21, with a six-boat four-race final fleet racing day on Sunday September 22 followed by match race final Thursday September 26.

Also taking place in parallel to the main event is the Puig Women’s America’s Cup where AC40 fleet racing (four races per day) will take place on the weekend of October 5 - 6, Tuesday / Wednesday October 8 - 9, with a six-boat four-race final fleet racing day on Friday October 11, before a match race final on Sunday October 13.

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