America's Cup: Schümann comments on the Cup battle on pay-TV channel Sky

The barren television years in which German fans found it difficult to follow the America's Cup in this country are over. Following the announcement of the broadcasts by Austrian broadcaster Servus TV (Qualifiers on the internet, Challenger Playoffs and the 35th America's Cup duel live on Servus TV Germany), pay-TV channel Sky is now also going public with its Cup programme.

Sky will be broadcasting all America's Cup races live from Friday (26 May). Broadcasts are planned for up to 21 evenings. Presenter Heiko Mallwitz will be supported alternately by three-time Olympic champion Jochen Schümann and Tornado world champion Oliver Schwall. "It's a new challenge for me. I've never done anything like this before. It will hopefully be exciting," Jochen Schümann told YACHT online.

Sky will even broadcast the final of the Challenger Playoffs and the America's Cup match presented by Louis Vuitton from 17 June free-to-air on Sky Sport News HD. The races of the qualifying round and the semi-finals of the Challenger Playoffs can be watched with individual Sky daily, weekly or monthly tickets without a long contract commitment. With the exception of the opening on Friday (from 10pm), the scheduled start of the programme is set for 7pm, as with Servus TV on the internet or later on television.

The Sky live broadcasts include the qualifying round (26-31 May, 2/3 June), the Challenger play-offs with the semi-finals (4 June, 6-8 June) and the final (10-12 June). Subscribers to the Sky Sport package can watch the programme on Sky Sport HD and with Sky Ticket. In addition to the live coverage, Sky will also broadcast several highlight programmes.

With Jochen Schümann, who will be co-commentating the first of the two qualifying rounds, the semi-finals of the Challenger Playoffs and the Cup match, Sky has brought Germany's most successful sailor on board. The 62-year-old has won three gold medals at the Olympic Games and won the America's Cup twice with the Swiss team Alinghi. Oliver Schwall (Konzeptwerft) will also be on the Sky microphone for the Cup match, deputising for Schümann when he is unable to be present at the Munich headquarters and commentating on the second round of qualifying and the final of the Challenger Playoffs. Go to Sky tickets here.