Speeds in excess of 100 km/h, 1.5 billion spectators worldwide and possibly the most exciting America's Cup ever are expected off the coast of the Catalan capital from 22 August. The final countdown to the Challenger Selection Series at the Louis Vuitton Cup (29 August to 7 October) and finally to the America's Cup match from 12 October will then begin with the last pre-regatta.
The New Zealand defenders will then have to stand up to the previously selected best of the five challengers from Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy, the USA and France. At the moment, it seems more uncertain than at any previous edition in the history of the world's oldest sporting trophy whether this can be achieved. This is not due to a weak first impression of the new AC75 of the Kiwisbut rather the very strong performance of the other teams to date with a variety of different design approaches.
All AC75 Cuppers revealed so far in detail:
How important the final pre-regatta really is
Even experienced Cup experts cannot currently identify a clear favourite. This makes the kick-off all the more exciting, despite the fact that it is only a pre-regatta that is not included in the ranking. It will also be the first direct test of strength for the teams against the final Cup boats and could provide the last important insights.
Hardly any two yachts are the same at the moment, with each team testing the limits of the rules in different areas. However, just like some foils and France's America's Cupper, which is the only one still being kept secret, the technology below deck is also an almost unknown but extremely decisive factor for success.
The 37th America's Cup will undoubtedly see the world's most technological racing boats at the start. Not only do they reach speeds of well over 54 knots (100 km/h), but in the second generation after 2021, they will also lift themselves out of the water much earlier. With a crew of just eight instead of twelve sailors, the new AC75s are designed for high flight times in a wide range of conditions from six to 21 knots of wind speed.
German America's Cup team trains on Lake Garda
The smaller AC40s, which are not only used as test and training boats, but are also sailed by the twelve teams in the Youth and Women's America's Cup, are also designed for similar wind conditions. Their races will take place between the Louis Vuitton Cup (youth) and the actual America's Cup Match (women). The latter will have their first chance to prove themselves in a separate format exclusively for female sailors off Barcelona. Meanwhile, the Youth America's Cup for the stars of tomorrow is entering its third round after 2013 and 2017.
Once again, there will be a German team competing in the women's event. Unlike the big cup, they first have to prove themselves in fleet races against eleven other teams, with the final taking place as a match race. While half of the teams have a large AC racing team and its support behind them, the German team is also one of the so-called invited teams.
So far, AC Team Germany has not had the chance to train on one of the 2.85 million US dollar AC40s. Instead, the sailors led by Paul Farien and Carolina Werner rely heavily on working on the simulator. However, the German foiling elite are currently at Lake Garda for a training and team-building programme. Some of the two teams also took part in the Belardi Cup on Motten last weekend. They are also taking part in the Youth Foiling Gold Cup on the 69F skiffs until 19 May.
America's Cup predicts more TV viewers than Super Bowl final
The two pre-regattas have already shown how exciting the races in the one-design class can be. The entire event starting on 22 August off Barcelona should be at least as exciting and easily accessible for spectators. The entire promenade of the metropolis offers perfect viewing conditions for the fans on site, completely free of charge. The course will be just a few hundred metres from the beach. Two fan zones and spectator areas with large screens and catering zones are also planned on Bogatell beach and along Plaça del Mar. If you get a seat on one of the tourist boats, you can also watch the action from the water.
The official Race Village is located opposite the Real Club Náutico Barcelona and is also accessible free of charge and open from midday on every regatta day. In addition to large screens and the main stage, where the sailors will be interviewed before and after the start, it also has activities and numerous food options for spectators. Thousands of volunteers have signed up for "Team B" in a variety of roles to make this possible.
All of this is expected to attract the largest audience in the event's 173-year history. The America's Cup will also be broadcast worldwide on free-to-air television and as a live stream on americascup.com and Youtube broadcast. A total of 1.5 billion viewers are expected to watch all races. By comparison, the 2024 Super Bowl final, considered the biggest single sporting event, was watched by an estimated 160 million people on TV.
