America’s Cup 2024
August 20 - October 27
Sailing fans are in for a treat this summer and autumn as the world’s longest running international sporting competition comes to Barcelona!
Yep, the America’s Cup was first contested back in 1851 between the New York Yacht Club’s America and 15 yachts of Britain’s Royal Yacht Squadron, in a race around the Isle of Wight. The America won, with its owners later donating their prize, the “RYS £100 Cup”, to the NYYC on provision that “it shall be preserved as a perpetual challenge Cup for friendly competition between foreign countries.”
The America’s Cup was born and since then the Cup has been contested 36 times, with this year’s regatta the 37th edition. Amazingly, the New York Yacht Club successfully defended the trophy 24 times before eventually losing to Royal Perth Yacht Club in 1983, 132 years after the first regatta.
How To Watch…
Fast forward to 2024 and the defending champions are the Emirates New Zealand Team, who are making a second defense of the Cup after winning in 2017 and 2021. Five other teams have already arrived in Barcelona where they have been practicing over summer, ready to compete in a round robin until they have been whittled down to a final challenger. This challenger will then compete against New Zealand in a 7-day ‘Match Race Final’ in October.
Whether you’re a sailing aficionado, or new to the sport, you can get involved in the action by watching from either the Spectator and Fan Zones on land, or renting a boat to watch the regattas from the sea.
Image and calendar copyright America’s Cup… find more info about the event on their website!