Land Rover BAR | San Francisco on the Bay

50 Days until the Start of the America’s Cup!

As the 35th America’s Cup starting date closes in, teams are struggling to determine which design adjustments will give them that edge they need to win the oldest sporting trophy. They watch each other closely out on the water in Bermuda hoping to see or overhear each other’s strategies and techniques.

Artemis Racing practice racing with ORACLE TEAM USA on their ACC boats in Bermuda – Photo/Austin Wong

This is a time when the Regatta Director has to be truly independent.

“My bosses are all of the teams,” says America’s Cup Race Management’s (ACRM’s) Iain Murray, Regatta Director of the 35th America’s Cup. Read more about Iain’s role here. Iain was also the Regatta Director for the 34th America’s Cup that took place in San Francisco.

Teams are now permitted to train on specific days that remain before the first races of the round robin America’s Cup Qualifiers.

April 6-7, 2017;
April 10-12, 2017;
April 24-28, 2017;
May 15-19, 2017;
May 22-23, 2017;
May 25, 2017;

The Luis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers start May 26 and will continue into the 35th America’s Cup final match through June 27, 2017

Groupama Team France and SoftBank Team Japan practice racing in Bermuda – Photo/Austin Wong

Land Rover Bar practice racing with ORACLE TEAM USA – Photo/Austin Wong

Teams Now Racing in New ACC Boats in Bermuda

Everyone is looking for that edge to bring them closer to the sport’s oldest trophy, the America’s Cup. Emirates Team New Zealand added bicycle-grinding stations to their America Cup Class, replacing the arm grinders with pedal power. “There has always been innovation in the Cup and you’ve got to say that Emirates Team New Zealand has been one of the more creative teams over the years in terms of their culture of developing new thinking, new technology,” five time AC winner Kiwi RussellCoutts, CEO of the America’s Cup Events Authority, told Yachting World. (Stuff.co.nz 3/24/17)

ETNZ on bicycle grinders Photo/Hamissh Hooper

On the America’s Cup radar, a rule change now allows teams to practice race on the water as we count down to the May 2017 Louis Vuitton Qualifiers in Bermuda.

Oracle Team USA and Land Rover BAR immediately took advantage of this change and lined up their ACC boats against each other on Bermuda’s Great Sound on March 23.Take a look. (Courtesy of Jack Griffen, Cup Experience)

Teams are now permitted to train together on 23 of the 69 days that remain before the first races of the round robin America’s Cup Qualifiers.

March 22-26, 2017;
April 6-7, 2017;
April 10-12, 2017;
April 24-28, 2017;
May 15-19, 2017;
May 22-23, 2017;
May 25, 2017;

America’s Cup Qualifier races start May 26 and will continue into the America’s Cup final match through June 27, 2017.

More news about the America’s Cup from On the Bay.