The America’s Cup is the competition for the oldest trophy in international sport and dates back to 1851.
Over that time, teams representing just four nations (the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland) have won the trophy in over 160-years of competition.
It is one of the greatest challenges in all of sport.
The defending champion is ORACLE TEAM USA, who first won the America’s Cup in 2010, and successfully defended the title in 2013. Now six teams, including ORACLE TEAM USA, have signed up to take on the challenge again.
The 35th America’s Cup will be in June 2017 on the Great Sound of Bermuda. Racing in a series of preliminary events, collectively known as the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series, are taking place at selected venues in 2015 and 2016, with teams having the opportunity to host events.
The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series regattas are raced in the AC45F class – a one-design catamaran powered by a wing sail that flies above the water on foils and is sailed by a crew of five.
In 2017, the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers and Challenger Playoffs, as well as the America’s Cup Match presented by Louis Vuitton, will be raced in the new America’s Cup Class – a very fast, foiling, wing-sailed catamaran, manned by six crew.
The America’s Cup is governed by a Deed of Gift and a Protocol, which together outline the Rules for each edition of the event.
