The 37th America’s Cup
The 37th Louis Vuitton America's Cup will take place between 22nd August and 27th October 2024 in Barcelona.
The America’s Cup is the oldest international competition still in operation of any sport, and the winner is awarded the America's Cup trophy, which is known as the ‘Auld Mug’.
The history and prestige associated with the America's Cup attracts the world's top sailors, yacht designers, and big-name sponsors. It is a test of sailing skill, boat, and sail design, as well as fundraising and team management skills.
The first America’s Cup was raced on August 22nd in 1851, and took place around the Isle of Wight, UK. That first race was between the New York Yacht Club's boat, ‘America’ and 15 yachts of the Royal Yacht Squadron, and was watched by Queen Victoria.
The America’s Cup boats
The competing teams for the 37th edition of the America’s Cup will be sailing AC75s. This was the design declared by defending champions, Emirates Team New Zealand.
The AC75s are 20.7m in length, have a mast height of 26.5m, and carry a crew of eight sailors. During the America’s Cup racing, they are expected to achieve speeds of circa 50 knots.
The challenger teams for the 2024 America’s Cup are Ineos Britannia (UK), Alinghi Red Bull Racing (Switzerland), Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (Italy), American Magic (USA), and the Orient Express Racing Team (France).
Racing takes place in an area of water approximately 1.7nm long (about 3km) and between 0.5nm and 0.8nm (0.9km to 1.5km) wide, with boundaries on all sides that the competing boats must stay within.
Superyachts and the America’s Cup
Superyachts have a longstanding affiliation with the America’s Cup, largely in part to the J Class fleet – some of the earliest America’s Cup boats – having joined the superyacht realms as charter yachts and still participating in modern superyacht regattas in recent years.
Alongside the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, a superyacht regatta and a J Class regatta will take place. The superyacht event is expected to attract many of the latest and greatest sailing yachts from the world’s leading designers and shipyards, many of which welcome professional sailors and famous America’s Cup names to join their race crew.
How to watch the America’s Cup
Action from the America’s Cup can be watched at various locations across Barcelona with pop-up villages broadcasting on large screens at the AC Team Bases, public viewing areas along the beaches, and in ‘Fanzones’. Various hospitality and VIP experience packages are available. Arguably the best way to watch the racing and truly feel part of the event, however, is from a yacht on the water.
Yachts are permitted to anchor in the spectator area adjacent to the racecourse, providing a front-row seat in exclusive privacy and supreme luxury. There are a number of superyachts available for charter and offering such an experience – please contact Camper & Nicholsons for details.
Visiting Barcelona
Barcelona is served by an international airport 15km southwest of the city centre, and a port with ferry connections to the Balearic Islands, Morocco, Italy and Sardinia.
A popular tourist destination, the city has a huge array of hotels and villas. If you’d like to extend your visit to Barcelona with a yacht charter along the Spanish coast or a cruise between the Balearic Islands of Ibiza, Mallorca, and Menorca, then please contact us. The Camper & Nicholsons superyacht charter team will be pleased to advise on available yachts and provide example itineraries.