Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Regattas
2015-2016 Season


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Photos (4) ©2015-6 R. Steven Tsuchiya, Oracle Photo:©2015 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget


Multihulls on the Hudson: New York hosted the Louis Vuitton ACWS in May, 2015.
Photo:©2016 R. Steven Tsuchiya

Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Regattas

On this page (click links or scroll down):

2015-2016:
Portsmouth, England July 2015
Gothenburg, Sweden August 2015
Bermuda October 2015
Muscat, Oman February 2016
New York City, USA May 2016
Chicago, USA June 2016
Portsmouth, England July 2016
Toulon, France September 2016
Fukuoka, Japan October 2016

Season Results and Standings

On this page (click links or scroll down):
LV ACWS Announcements and Related Stories

 

LV ACWS Results and Final Standings:

Results Thumbnail. Click to read more.

Portsmouth, England, 2015: July 25-26, 2015

Prize Giving for Portsmouth 2015


Skipper Ben Ainslie, left, and the Duchess of Cambridge. Photo:©2015 R. Steven Tsuchiya

(July 26) With the cancellation of Sunday's racing, Land Rover BAR topped the podium in Portsmouth, England.  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were on hand to award prizes to the teams.  Click image above to see more photos.
 

Land Rover BAR Wins Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Portsmouth

The British challenger won the weather-shortened Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Portsmouth, the first regatta in the run-up to the 2017 America's Cup.  Sailing on AC45F catamarans modified with foiling daggerboards and rudders, the contest was the first foiling fleet racing since one-design multihulls were adopted for ACWS.

Thursday, July 23: Exhibition Races See Thursday Photos
Friday, July 24: Practice Races
Video from Emirates TNZ | Land Rover BAR
Saturday, July 25:  Racing: Races 1 and 2 Complete
Sunday, July 26: Racing: Races 3 and 4 Abandoned
See Prize Giving Ceremony Photos
Regatta Information: Schedule | Race Area
Where to Watch: TV and Online Providers
More Photos:
AC45F Preparations | Spinnaker Tower Views

In the Tents: Inside the Emirates Team New Zealand Base
Race Day Images: Groupama | Cat Sailing


See CupInfo Portsmouth 2015 Main Page for daily reports and more

   
   
 

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Gothenburg, Sweden: August 29-30, 2015

Gothenburg Race Day 2 (Final Day):
Sunday August 30

Emirates Team New Zealand wins Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series in Gothenburg

Emirates Team New Zealand prevailed in the second World Series regatta of the 2017 America's Cup cycle, as six foiling AC45 catamarans competed in Gothenburg, Sweden, August 28-29.

Friday, August 28: Practice Races and Sprint Race
Saturday, August 29:  Racing: Fleet Races 1 and 2 plus evening exhibition race on the river.
Sunday, August 30: Racing: Fleet Races 3 and 4

Read More: ACWS Gothenburg Daily Schedule
Where to Watch: TV and Online options

Also: Results and Standings

Oracle Team USA wins Races 1 and 2,
Artemis Racing takes Race 3, and ETNZ gets Race 4 to win the LVACWS in Gothenburg!

Sunday Outlook:
 Races 3 and 4 (Fleet Races)
Scheduled start times: 1:10 pm and 1:55 pm local time.
Sunday's races are weighted double points.

Race 3:
Artemis Racing wins Race 3!  Emirates Team New Zealand 2nd,  Land Rover BAR 3rd,   Oracle Team USA 4th, Soft Bank Team Japan 5th, Groupama Team France 6th.

Standings: the Race 3 results leave three teams with 34 points. After tiebreak ETNZ tops the standings, followed by Land Rover and Oracle.  Artemis Racing is 4th, trailing by only 2 points. Team Japan has 25, and Team France has 21. Four teams can still win the event in the final race.

Race 4:
 Complete. ETNZ, Team Japan, and Oracle are 1-2-3 in early legs. Groupama Team France passes a gybing Oracle at Gate 4 to get into third place. The left didn't pay for Oracle like it did yesterday, and Team France defends their spot tacking in the center of the course until the layline comes up.  ETNZ meanwhile holds steady first place, survives a hole in the wind near the finish line.

ETNZ wins Race 4 and the ACWS in Gothenburg! Team Japan 2nd in Race 4, Team France 3rd, Oracle 4th, BAR 5th, Artemis 6th.

Regatta standings (provisional):
1: Emirates Team New Zealand
2: Oracle Team USA
3: Land Rover BAR
4: Groupama Team Japan
5: Artemis Racing
6: Groupama Team France



Photo:©2015 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

Artemis was hampered by a collision with an underwater rock formation, throwing crew around on the boat and damaging their foil and rudder.

Friday saw Artemis Racing damage their AC45 in a pre-practice-race capsize, but the boat was back in shape in time for racing on Saturday.  ETNZ also sat out Friday, while Oracle Team USA and Land Rover BAR each won a practice race.

Gothenburg Race Day 1:
Saturday August 29

Saturday Outlook:
 Races 1 and 2 (Fleet Races)
Start times: 1:10 pm and 1:55 pm local time.

Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Gothenburg Races 1 and 2 went off in “fresh” air, winds WSW at 15-18 knots under clear skies. The short course featured five laps, along with a surprise, rock obstructions to manage in the middle.

Race 1:
 All six cats crossed the start line full speed at the gun, with Emirates Team New Zealand to weather. Oracle Team USA managed a shorter line to the first reaching mark, taking the lead with other boats rounding two-wide behind.

At the first upwind gate USA still led, followed closely by SWE and NZL. The downwind speed of the foiling cats made short work of the leeward leg.

On the second upwind leg, Land Rover BAR played the left side of the course for a gain. This strategy would remain a good game plan all day, with most boats finding lifts on that side. At the gate, the order was 1-USA, 2-GBR, 3-NZL, 4-SWE, 5-JPN, 6-FRA.

Ben Ainslie managed a split with Oracle Team USA on the fourth weather leg, closing up some distance to the leader.  Jimmy Spithill, though, covered his former teammate, protecting his position and taking the first race of the regatta.

Oracle Team USA wins Race 1!  Land Rover BAR 2nd, ETNZ 3rd, Artemis Racing 4th, SoftBank Team Japan 5th, and Groupama Team France 6th.

Race 2:
Again Spithill on Oracle Team USA timed the gun perfectly, got out ahead from a mid-line position, and rounded the turning mark in the lead.

At the first upwind gate, with USA leading, the British and the Kiwis were nearly tied for second, splitting the gate and coming out onto opposite gybes looking for separation. At the second upwind gate, Oracle Team USA still led while Emirates Team New Zealand finally clawed ahead of Ben Ainslie Racing.

The Brits gained on the second downwind by setting their gennaker, a tactic they used successfully last month in Portsmouth. On the short course the sail requires tidy crew work, but delivers an advantage when done properly. The move worked again here, allowing GBR to lead NZL at the leeward gate.

On the third upwind, still in first, Oracle again stayed left though the others at the head of the fleet went right, adding to USA’s lead.  The fourth upwind unfolded similarly, with Ainslie and Burling jousting for second place while Spithill extended, claiming his second win of the day after leading wire-to-wire.

Oracle Team USA wins Race 2!  Land Rover BAR 2nd, ETNZ 3rd, Softbank Team Japan 4th, Groupama Team France 5th, Artemis Racing 6th.

Racing resumes on Sunday, with Races 3 and 4 to conclude the ACWS in Gothenburg.  Scoring will be weighted double for Sunday's races.

Current Standings after Day 1:
1: Oracle (20 pts)
 2: Land Rover BAR (18)
3: ETNZ (16)
4: Softbank Team Japan (13)
5: Artemis Racing (12)
6: Groupama Team France (11)
See Full Results and Standings

After Saturday's results, BAR still leads the season standings, but by just one point over Oracle Team USA.

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Muscat, Oman: February 27-28, 2016

Land Rover BAR wins Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Oman

The AC45F fleet was back on the water and racing this Saturday and Sunday at the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series in Muscat, Oman.

Saturday, Feb 27: ETNZ wins R1, Land Rover BAR wins R2 and R3 and leads the event after Day 1;
Sunday, Feb 28: for double-points, ETNZ wins R4, OTUSA wins R5, Team France wins R6, GBR wins the regatta while Emirates Team New Zealand protects their overall lead.
Scroll down for daily report.
Regattas Results | Current LVACWS Standings

Viewing: Racing can be watched in replay via the AC App (purchase required) or on television, depending on country.  In the USA, the only television coverage for Oman was a highlights show Saturday, March 12.
See the following page at the official site for details:
 How to watch the racing by country


Louis Vuitton ACWS Muscat, Oman:
Sunday, Feb. 28: Race Day 2

Sunday Outlook:
Three Fleet Races planned.
Starts scheduled for 2:07 pm, 2:35 pm, and 3:03 pm, local time in Oman.

Conditions:
Weather forecasts: NE to NNE winds, 7-8kts. (WindFinder and WindGuru)

Preview:
It's hard to argue with Land Rover BAR's two wins in a row yesterday, and conditions are forecast to be much the same today.  But BAR only leads Oracle Team USA by four points, and ETNZ by six after Day 1.  Sunday's three races award a combined 60 more points to the 1st place finishes.  BAR would need to pick up a total of four places on Emirates to nose into the overall ACWS lead.
See ACWS Oman regatta standings

Results:

Race 4:
Emirates Team New Zealand wins Race 4! Land Rover BAR is 2nd, Softbank Team Japan is 3rd, Artemis Racing is 4th, Oracle Team USa is 5th, and Groupama Team France is 6th.

Race 5:
At the start, everyone except OTUSA and Team France are over the line early and penalized.

Oracle Team USA wins Race 5!  Groupama Team France is 2nd, Emirates TNZ is 3rd, BAR is 4th, Artemis Racing is 5th, and Softbank Team Japan is 6th.

Race 6:
Land Rover BAR and Artemis are OCS. Adding to their troubles, Artemis catch the anchor line turning a course mark.

Groupama Team France wins Race 6!

Land Rover BAR wins Louis Vuitton ACWS Oman.  Emirates Team New Zealand retains their lead in the overall ACWS Standings.

 

Louis Vuitton ACWS Muscat, Oman:
Saturday, Feb. 27: Race Day 1

Saturday Outlook:
Three Fleet Races planned.
Starts scheduled for 2:07 pm, 2:35 pm, and 3:03 pm, local time in Oman, subject to change per sailing conditions.

Conditions:
Weather forecasts: NE to NNE winds, 7-8kts. (WindFinder and WindGuru)

Preview:
The interest going into the first ACWS regatta of the year will be whether Emirates Team New Zealand can pick up where they left off in Bermuda, and sustain their winning momentum. Thankfully an added race each day means there will be 50% more racing this regatta compared to last summer, with more chance for teams to find their rhythm, and less impact on overall point totals from any one fluky breakage, tactical miscue, or collision with an umpire boat.

Day 1 in Muscat, Oman, however, comes with a forecast consensus of 7-8 kts of wind, enough for racing but making foiling an uncertain proposition.  If the wind is solid enough to get a fair race off, it will be an interesting test of crew and techniques.  The light winds have been expected for several days, at least, giving team the chance to optimize tuning and refine game plans for the situation.  Sunday's forecasts currently expect similar conditions. 

One technical point to keep in mind in light race conditions: any and all boats finishing more than 10 minutes behind the winning boat are scored Did Not Finish (DNF).  Regardless of the number of boats scored DNF, they would each receive the same number of points as a last place finish.

Race 1:
An OCS for BAR and a penalty for Artemis, while the Kiwis surged to the lead.

Emirates Team New Zealand wins Race 1!  Oracle Team USA is 2nd, Land Rover BAR is 3rd, Artemis Racing 4th, Softbank Team Japan 5th, and Groupama Team France 6th.

Race 2:
Very light air continues. teams sailing with weight to leeward and forward for best possible heeling angles.  A huge righthand wind shift just after the start.

Land Rover BAR wins Race 2! Team Japan is 2nd, Groupama Team France 3rd, ETNZ 4th, Artemis 5th, and OTUSA 6th.

Race 3:
Land Rover BAR wins Race 3!  Oracle Team USA 2nd, ETNZ 3rd, Artemis 4th, Japan 5th, and Team France 6th.

 Ben Ainslie's Land Rover BAR leads the regatta at the conclusion of Day 1.  See Oman regatta standings

With the current points from Oman, BAR would move into second place on the ACWS overall rankings, but there are over 60 points left to be awarded in Oman with three more races set for tomorrow, scored double points.

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Bermuda: Oct 17-18, 2015

Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Bermuda

(Oct 18) Challengers and the defender competed in AC45 catamarans this weekend in Bermuda, racing their foiling yachts for the first time in some of the same waters that will host the 35th Defense of the America's Cup, coming in June 2017. 

Practice racing during the week was followed by three fleet races on Sunday, with Saturday's races canceled.

Friday, Oct 16: Practice Races
Saturday, Oct 17:  Races Abandoned
Sunday, Oct 18: Three Fleet Races.
Winners: Oracle Team USA in Race 1, Artemis Racing in Race 2, and Emirates Team New Zealand in Race 3.  Artemis Racing wins the regatta overall, with ETNZ remaining on top of the ACWS points standings.
See Bermuda Race Results

More: Bermuda Race Area | ACWS Standings


ACWS Bermuda
Sunday Oct 18: Final Race Day

Sunday's Program:
Three Fleet Races, each scoring double points. First race start at 2:10 pm. The final race intended to finish at the America's Cup event village, conditions permitting.

Conditions:
Winds 9-10 knots NW (WindGuru).  Winds 12-18 kts in the afternoon, increasing; scattered showers dissipating mid-day (BWS).

Outlook:
With Saturday's races abandoned, the Sunday schedule has been expanded from two races to three.  Sunday's races are all scored as double-points, maintaining the same total number of points to be awarded during ACWS Bermuda.  This is significant because the total points accumulated by each team at the end of all the World Series regattas will affect challenger selection for the 2017 America's Cup.

Race 1:
Oracle Team USA wins Race 1! Artemis Racing 2nd, Land Rover BAR 3rd, SoftBank Team Japan 3rd, Emirates Team New Zealand 5th, and Groupama Team France 6th.  With two races to go today, Oracle and ETNZ are now tied in ACWS points, but Oracle, having placed ahead of the Kiwis in the most recent race, leads on tiebreak.

Race 2:
Artemis Racing wins Race 2!  ETNZ 2nd, OTUSA 3rd, Japan 4th, France 5th, BAR 6th.  ETNZ now leads the ACWS standings by two points, one race still to come today.

Race 3:
ETNZ wins Race 3! BAR 2nd, Japan 3rd, Artemis 4th, OTUSA 5th, France 6th. 

Artemis Racing wins LVACWS Bermuda.
See Regatta results

ETNZ will remain the series leader after three regattas.
See overall Louis Vuitton ACWS points standings

ACWS Bermuda
Saturday Oct 17: Race Day 1

Saturday's Program:
Two Fleet Races, Races 1 and 2.
First Race Start 2:10 pm Local time, second race intended start 2:55 pm.  Second race to finish at America's Cup event village, conditions permitting (See Race Area).

Conditions: Winds 5 knots easterly (WindGuru). Winds 5 kts and variable, late afternoon thunderstorm risk (BWS).

Race 1:
Start postponed for light wind. Race officials attempt to set a course inside the harbor, but conditions are not adequate.  Racing is abandoned for the day at 4:15.

Sunday's schedule will be changed from two races to three races. 

 

ACWS Bermuda
Friday Oct 16: Practice Racing

Artemis Racing awaits action in Bermuda. Photo: ©2015 CupInfo.com
Artemis Racing awaits action in Bermuda.
Photo: ©2015 CupInfo.com

Friday's schedule calls for two practice races with the AC45 cats, rehearsing for the start of racing tomorrow.

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New York: May 7-8, 2016

 

Champagne, all around. The LV ACWS NY awards ceremony gives the skippers a chance to relax and soak in the glory. Click image to enlarge and see more Sunday photos.
Photo:©2016 R. Steven Tsuchiya

 

Emirates Team New Zealand Wins Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series New York

The foiling AC45F catamarans brought high-tech yacht racing back to the historic home of the America's Cup, New York City, May 7-8.  The same harbor that saw the creation of the low black schooner America, built to go over to England and beat the best of British yachting, hosted teams from France, Sweden, Japan, New Zealand, and England, racing against the US defender in preparation for the 2017 America's Cup match.

Saturday, May 7: Race Day 1
Sunday, May 8: Race Day 2, Three Fleet Races.
Sweden wins Race 1, France wins Race 2, NZ wins Race 3. Emirates Team New Zealand wins the New York regatta!
And keeps their season lead:
See Overall Season Standings

In the US, the regatta was broadcast live, Sunday May 8, on NBCSN, and a highlights show will air May 21, in addition to online viewing options.

   

Louis Vuitton ACWS New York:
Sunday, May 8, Final Race Day


New Yorkers came out by the tens of thousands to see racing on the Hudson.  Photo:©2016 R. Steven Tsuchiya

Sunday Outlook:
Starts scheduled for 2:07 pm, 2:35 pm, and 3:03 pm, local time in New York (Eastern Time), subject to weather conditions.

Conditions:
Winds: becoming NW 16-20 kts in the afternoon, gusts to 34 kts (NWS), NW 19 kts with gusts to 24 kts (WindFinder), NW 9 kts with gusts to 19 kts (Windguru). Skies clearing midday.

Tides: High Tide 10:17 am, Low Tide 4:22 pm. (NOAA predictions for Battery Park Station) Racing will again be in an ebb tide approaching low tide. Tidal range is about 6 feet. Tidal flow in combination with river current can be significant and will affect tacking and mark rounding.  See Race Area Map
 

Racing Preview:
Sunday's forecasts promise all the wind that was missing Saturday and then some. The AC45F cats should finally be able to deliver excitement in line with the expectations that have been raised here in New York for the past several days.  An enthusiastic crowd on Saturday populated the America's Cup Village, and mostly took the delays and drifting conditions in stride.  If Sunday's 20 kt forecast verifies, with gusts closer to 30, there well be plenty of action for all. Possibly too much action for some teams. Gusty conditions combined with tall building wind effects make it easy for a crew to get caught off guard and end up capsized.

Team Japan's win, their first in an ACWS race, encourages the thought that the lower tier teams may find a more equal footing this year with the top of the fleet.

Either way, there's a very good chance of seeing three high-speed, technically challenging races today that should make good viewing for race fans.  Sunday's races will be televised in the US on NBCSN.

Sunday Results:

Race 1:
Artemis Racing wins Race 1! Land Rover BAR second, Emirates Team New Zealand third, Oracle Team USA 4th, Softbank Team Japan Japan fifth, Groupama Team France sixth.

Race 2:
Groupama Team France wins Race 2! Oracle second, ETNZ third, Team Japan fourth, LR BAR 5th, Artemis 6th.

Race 3:
Emirates Team New Zealand wins Race 3! Oracle second, Team Japan third, Team France fourth, Land Rover BAR fifth, and Artemis sixth.

Overall: Emirates Team New Zealand wins the New York Louis Vuitton ACWS regatta, defends their place atop the 2015-2016 overall points standings.

See New York Results | See Season Standings

 

Louis Vuitton ACWS New York:
Saturday, May , Race Day 1

Saturday Outlook:
Starts scheduled for 2:07 pm, 2:35 pm, and 3:03 pm, local time in New York (Eastern Time), subject to weather conditions.

Conditions:
Winds: E 6-7 kts becoming SSE in the afternoon (NWS), E 4kt (WindFinder), NNE 6-7 kts (Windguru). Cloudy.

Tides: High Tide 9:22 am, Low Tide 3:44 pm. (NOAA predictions for Battery Park Station) Racing will be in an ebb tide approaching low tide. Tidal range is about 6 feet. Tidal flow in combination with river current can be significant and will affect tacking and mark rounding, especially when headed up river (north).
See Race Area Map

Racing Preview:
Emirates Team New Zealand leads the overall standings, though Land Rover BAR has been gaining on them.  Generally there have been two tiers among the six teams in terms of results, with ETNZ, BAR, and Oracle Team USA being dominant. One of the questions for the 2016 ACWS season is whether the second tier teams will break into some degree of parity with the top three. The most recent regatta, in Oman, saw a win for Groupama Team France, their first.  SoftBank Team Japan has sailed very well at times, but struggled to turn that into more than a mid-pack finish, and have not won a race in the four events to date.  Artemis Racing has been the hard luck team, sailing fast, but a string of incidents with broken gear, contact with rocks, and a head-on collision with an umpire boat that has hindered their accumulation of points despite winning the Bermuda LV ACWS last year.

Racing in New York will be difficult with tides, current, debris, erratic winds that threatens to be very light Saturday and very strong on Sunday. Likely this weekend will see some shakeup in the status quo.

Race 1 Attempt 1:
Race 1 start sequence underway at 2:04 pm for 2:08 start.  Slow drifting start, JPN, USA, NZL are over early.  Penalty on BAR.  Boats start headed off from the NY shore for the reaching mark. Current is overwhelming Japan and Britain, who will drift too low to clear it, and can't make headway against the flow. The others head downstream, very slowly.  Wind has vanished and boats look at a dead stop, floating with the current. This race attempt looks likely to abandoned, followed by a wait for actual wind to return.  At 2:18 the first try is officially abandoned.

Waiting:
The Regatta Director is monitoring wind conditions.  The sea breeze is expected to fill in from the south, though is doing so slowly, deterred by the cloud layers.  The window for racing closes by 4:00 pm.  Not much wind is needed to hold a race, but the direction needs to be consistent.

Latest update is a targeted 3:20 pm start, subject to Race Committee evaluation of the conditions.  Some wind has filled in and the boats are moving.

Race 1 Attempt 2:
Start sequence underway.  Wind does not stay up through the sequence and the race is abandoned just before the gun.  The television window will close at 3:30, but Race Management will try to fit in a race before the 4:00 deadline for maintaining the Race Area on the water.  Expect next try for a start at 3:30 pm.  A race today, if it happens, would be a provisional substitute for the first race on Sunday.  Tomorrow's conditions looks to be very strong, with winds in the upper teens or higher.  Sunday's races also count for double points.

Race 1 Attempt 3:
The Race Committee will set the course and try for a short race, start time 3:45.  Wind continues to fill in, and the possibility of getting one race in is looking good. Start slips back to 3:50, but there is enough wind now so that the AC45F yachts are able to get up on foils.  Again, this is a substitute race, which will remain unofficial unless it is needed to replace a delayed race tomorrow.

Substitute Race: Racing is off on short course. Japan leads at Gate 2, with France second. At Gate 3 it is Japan, France close behind, but FRA on port crosses ahead of Artemis coming into the gate on starboard, forcing the Swedes to duck.  ETNZ and LR BAR round out the order at Gate 3.  USA into 3rd after France is penalized for the port-starboard infraction with Artemis.  Emirates Team New Zealand has a bad wrap in their roller-furler, drops back.

Upriver toward the finish in front of North Cove Marina, JPN still leading, soaking low.  Oracle separates from Team Japan, sailing upriver, hoping to come back on a hot angle to the finish.  Japan takes first place. Artemis approaches the line, but is too far downriver and will have to tack out and back to finish.  They do so in time to finish second.  France is coming to the line for third, with a much faster Oracle, now on their hot angle, nearly nipping them, but finishing 4th by three seconds.  Land Rover BAR and ETNZ round out the finish.

To emphasize, this substitute is not considered an official race, but it could become official if the start of the first race is delayed on Sunday. SoftBank Team Japan takes their first #1 finish in a Louis Vuitton ACWS event, though unofficial.   Artemis Racing second, Groupama Team France third, Oracle Team USA fourth, Land Rover BAR fifth, and Emirates Team New Zealand sixth.

First start tomorrow is set for 2:07 pm ET in New York. Three Fleet races planned. And plenty of wind expected!


Regatta Preview:
America's Cup Comes Home

(May 6) The five teams competing to be the challenger in the 2017 America's Cup match, SoftBank Team Japan, Land Rover BAR (UK), Artemis Racing (Sweden), Groupama Team France, and Emirates Team New Zealand, will fleet race against each other here along with defender Oracle Team USA.  The race area will be between the Battery and Pier 25, shifting to align the course with the wind direction, and keeping the start and finish lines close to North Cove Marina when feasible.

The New York venue, though it offers a spectacular backdrop of iconic skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty, looks to be a difficult proposition on the water for the sailors.  The Hudson River has strong currents which interact with the Atlantic Ocean tides.  Where the East River joins the Hudson at the tip of Manhattan, local sailors speak of unpredictable and intimidating conditions, further complicated by confused seas created by commercial shipping and ferry wakes, not to mention the action of wind potentially working against tide and current.

Read more LV ACWS NY Preview

   

 

 

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Chicago: June 11-12, 2016

Artemis Racing Wins Chicago Regatta


Sweden's Artemis Racing celebrates a well-sailed regatta, and a winning event. Photo:©2016 R. Steven Tsuchiya

The foiling AC45 catamarans of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series raced in Chicago June 11th and 12th. Teams from Sweden, England, France, New Zealand, and Japan competed on foiling multihulls along with the US defender in up to three races each day.
Friday: SoftBank Team Japan wins Race 1.
Saturday: Emirates Team New Zealand wins substitute race (non-official). See Saturday Race Photos
Sunday: Final Race Day. Team Japan wins Races 1 and 3, Artemis Racing wins Race 2.  Artemis Racing's overall performance wins Louis Vuitton ACWS Chicago! Land Rover BAR is 2nd, Team Japan is third. Chicago Race Results

 Emirates Team New Zealand remains atop the season standings.  Season Standings | CupStats for Chicago

More Photos: Friday Race Photos | Launching Friday
and Wed-Thurs Preview days | Event Preview


   

Louis Vuitton ACWS Chicago
Sunday, June 12, Final Race Day

Sunday Outlook:
Program:
3 Fleet Races.  First start scheduled for 1:37 pm local time in Chicago; second start 2:03, third start 2:33 pm, subject to weather conditions.

Conditions:
Winds currently 17 kts NNE, gusts to 20.  Forecast for race time is 15 kts NNE (ACEA). Light chop (2-3 feet) outside the breakwater, but racing is inside and water will be generally flat.  Weather is cooler (68 degrees F), and a very light overcast has moved in.

Racing:
Friday's Practice Race 3 went into the books Saturday as an official race, with SoftBank Team Japan posting their first race win of the ACWS series, taking the gun after an exciting race filled with plenty of wind.  Saturday afternoon could have used some of that breeze, after 20 kts in the morning dropped to barely 5 or 6 by race time.  Organizers stuck it out, though, and late in the day ran another potential substitute race, which will only count if Sunday's is delayed. By 6:00 pm the wind was back, Mother Nature showing what she thinks of television schedules.

Emirates Team New Zealand won the unofficial race, pulling out to over 500m lead, finding better wind at the right times.  It's hard to take much away from Saturday's fluky, patchwork wind conditions in regard to how the teams are progressing, but Team Japan's win helps support the case for increasing parity among the six teams.

The sailors don't get to race or train on the one-design AC45s except at regattas, but they adjust quickly to being back onboard.  Mainly what the results of these races help illustrate is how well each group is at responding to conditions, trimming the boat to suit, calling and executing proper tactics.  In other words, these races are a test of how well they are anticipating each other and sailing as a unified team.

Today's wind should be solid, racing starting on time, and crowds even bigger, with more comfortable weather.  Points count double today, Sunday.  Emirates Team New Zealand leads the season standings, with three LV ACWS regattas still on the schedule.

Race 1:
LAnd Rover BAR wins Race 1! Artemis is 2nd, Team Japan 3rd, Oracle Team USA 4th, Emirates Team New Zealand 5th, Groupama Team France 6th.

Race 2:
Artemis Racing wins Race 2! Oracle is 2nd, ETNZ 3rd, BAR 4th, Team France 5th, Team Japan 6th.

Race 3:
SoftBank Team Japan wins Race 3! BAR is 2nd, ETNZ 3rd, Artemis Racing 4th, Oracle 5th, and Groupama Team France 6th.

Artemis wins the ACWS Chicago regatta!
See Regatta Results

Emirates Team New Zealand protects their series standings lead, still ahead of Land Rover BAR by 10 points. 

See Season Standings
 


America's Cup Connections to Chicago History


 

(June 7) This is the first time for America's Cup racing on Lake Michigan, but connections to the famous yacht race, old and new, can be found in Chicago.
Read article at CupInfo

Louis Vuitton ACWS Chicago
Saturday, June 11, Race Day 1

Saturday Outlook:
3 Fleet Races.  First start scheduled for 1:37 pm local time in Chicago; second start 2:03, third start 2:33 pm, subject to weather conditions.

Conditions:
Winds: 10-11 kts early, veering NE to ESE 8-10 kts (Official Race Weather). Building to SW to WSW to W 10-15 kts,   (NWS).  Water flat. No tides. 

Weather warm, mid-90s F. Intermittent storms possible late in the day, but less likely during race time.  Local conditions near-live and webcams from NOAA near Navy Pier.

Racing Preview:
Friday's practice racing showed fantastic sailing conditions, with the entire fleet fully foiling.  America's Cup sailors got their introduction to freshwater, including two capsizes that left the crews of ETNZ and Oracle damp, but uninjured.

Saturday looks to be nearly the same conditions, with gusts perhaps down just a notch.

Racing:
The race committee is waiting for the wind to stabilize in direction.  Since the first Saturday race is delayed, the third practice race from yesterday (the "substitute race") will now be officially counted as Race 1. Two more races may be still sailed today as conditions improve.

Race 1:
Six boats all off and foiling on the reaching leg to mark 1. Oracle Team USA has the direct line to the mark with ETNZ close to windward and ahead, and Softbank Team Japan above them.  Five of six keep going past the mark and jibe at the starboard layline, but Artemis jibes early.  The Swedes then lead into the first leeward gate and turn left, Oracle is 4 seconds behind, and BAR 10 seconds off the lead.  All turn left except ETNZ, 25 second delta to the leader as they start the first windward leg.

TNZ keeps going up the left side of the course and it pays for now, 50m ahead, but they will lose a bit trying to tack back.  Artemis out to 20m ahead as the fleet comes back together on the top of the course.  Oracle goes far left, losing ground in the process, and BAR climbs into second on a well-timed shift.  Team Japan third.

Artemis goes into the gate on port, bears away for the righthand gate.  Bar is 11 seconds back, and Japan 18 seconds off the lead.  France, New Zealand, and USA round out the order at the first windward mark.  

On the second downwind leg, Artemis goes to the starboard layline and jibes, while France picks up a boundary penalty.  At the leeward gate, Artemis rounds slightly ahead, while BAR gets an overlap with Team Japan, threatening to luff them, so Japan tacks away after rounding.  Still working the downwind leg, Oracle on port, set up for a jibe has to quickly avoid a collision with an incoming Artemis on starboard.  Oracle is caught with their wing out of position, the leeward runner obstructing easing the wing, and capsizes in the maneuver, apparently uninjured and undamaged, but putting an end to their race.

Team France turns right at the bottom gate, hoping to split with the leaders and find some gain on the final windward leg.

Upwind Artemis is still leading in the middle to right of the course, with BAR close by trying to find an opportunity to pass, and Team Japan taking the left side of the course.  Artemis tacks to cross BAR, it’s close, but they make it. They come to the left side while Japan now goes right.  And the Japanese go to first place, nailing the wind shift. Bar second.

On the final downwind leg, Japan leads by 150m, Artemis is into second, and ETNZ third.  Into the final downwind gate, Japan round with Artemis just one length back, looking to pass.  Japan accelerates better out of the turn and wins by a delta of nine seconds.  Artemis finishes 14 seconds ahead of France.

Softbank Team Japan wins Race 1! Artemis Racing is second by 9 seconds, Groupama Team France is third, Emirates Team New Zealand is fourth, Land Rover BAR is 5th, and Oracle Team USA is DNF (did not finish) after capsize.

Race 2:
Wind is filling in as of 2:45 pm and a start after 3:00 pm may be possible.  If so it will serve as a "substitute" race for tomorrow. These results will not be scored as official unless the start of the first race on Sunday is delayed. About 4:00 pm will the the cutoff for a start.  As of 3:40, a couple boats have been able to foil. 

Race start set for 3:45. Underway.  TNZ wins Race 2! Oracle Team USA Second, Team Japan third, Artemis 4th, BAR 5th, and Groupama Team France 6th.


Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series set for Chicago in June 2016

(Sept 15) America's Cup officials and local hosting groups announced Tuesday that the America's Cup World Series is coming to Lake Michigan in 2016. Chicago's Navy Pier will host the foiling AC45 catamarans June 10-12 in a weekend of fleet racing as the build-up to the 35th defense of the America's Cup in 2017 continues.  The ACWS regattas help determine seeding and bonus points for challenger selection.

Team bases and the America's Cup village will be centralized on the quarter-mile-long public pier, with the cats racing in freshwater for the first time.  Local sponsors including financial marketplace CME Group, intent on raising Chicago's visibility to the global tourism audience, have been very supportive of the upcoming event, the only currently scheduled stop in the US for the 2017 America's Cup cycle.

Read ACEA Press Release | Race Course Concept
 

 

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Portsmouth, England 2016: June 11-12, 2016

Land Rover BAR Wins Portsmouth 2016 Regatta and Now Leads Season Standings

The AC45 catamarans of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series raced in Portsmouth, England, July 23, and 24.  Ben Ainslie's Land Rover BAR won the weekend, beating teams from Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, France, and the USA.

Saturday: Three Fleet Races. Team France wins Race 1, Land Rover BAR wins Races 2 and 3!
Sunday: Three Fleet Races.  Land Rover BAR wins Race 4, Oracle Team USA wins Race 5 and Race 6!

Land Rover BAR win the regatta.  They also slip into the season points lead, with Oracle Team USA now second, as ETNZ drops from first place to third.
See: Portsmouth Race Results | Season Standings

Reports from John Crisp in Portsmouth:
Thursday: Warm-up races and a visit to Land Rover BAR headquarters
Friday: Practice Races for the AC45s
Saturday: Day 1 Race Report


   
   
 

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Toulon, France: September 10-11, 2016

Artemis Racing wins Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Toulon

The Mediterranean town of Toulon welcomed foiling AC45 catamarans for Louis Vuitton ACWS racing September 10-11.  The defender, Oracle Team USA, and the five challengers, Artemis Racing (SWE), SoftBank Team Japan, Emirates Team New Zealand, Land Rover BAR (GBR), and Groupama Team France, competed three fleet races daily Saturday and Sunday.

With just one more LVACWS regatta remaining in 2016 (Japan, Nov. 18-20), opportunities for overall season points are slipping away.  ETNZ held the lead over the last five regattas, but BAR and OTUSA pulled ahead after strong showings in Portsmouth.

Saturday: Two wins for Artemis and one for Land Rover BAR.
Sunday: Artemis wins Race 4, BAR wins Race 5, SoftBank Team Japan wins Race 6

Artemis Racing wins the Toulon regatta, placing 1-1-3-1-3-5. Land Rover BAR, with two first place finishes, pulls away in season standings, now leading by 14 points.

Regatta Results | Season Standings


   
   
 

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Fukuoka, Japan: November 19-20, 2016

Land Rover BAR Wins Fukuoka Regatta and Season Standings, Bonus Points

Fukuoka, Japan, hosted the AC45F catamarans November 19-20, in the final World Series regatta before the 2017 America's Cup match next June in Bermuda.  The six teams -- France, Sweden, Britain, USA, New Zealand, and host Japan -- competed Saturday and Sunday. Land Rover BAR won the regatta in tiebreak against Artemis Racing, and finished the 2015-2016 season on top of the leader board.

Going into Fukuoka, Land Rover BAR (GBR) led the standings, having pulled into the lead following Portsmouth.

Saturday: 3 Fleet Races.  Land Rover BAR wins Race 1, SoftBank Team Japan wins Race 2, Oracle Team USA wins Race 3.  BAR still has the series lead.
Sunday: 3 Fleet Races, double points. Artemis Racing wins Races 4 and 5, Groupama Team France wins Race 6.

Regatta Results | Season Standings

   
   
 

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ACWS Announcements Stories:

   

2015 America's Cup World Series Events Taking Shape

(Nov 1) Harvey Schiller, Commercial Commissioner for the America's Cup, announced today that two venues for the 2015 America's Cup World Series were set, and would be announced on November 5.  Additional regattas for 2015 are still under negotiation.  Schiller expects an additional team, as a late entry, joining the five challengers and the defender.  Read ACEA Press Release

Portsmouth is one likely venue, Japan or China are possible new teams. Read report at The Independent


Gothenburg and Portsmouth 2015 & 2016 World Series Regattas Added

(Nov 26) Three more America's Cup World Series regattas have been announced: Gothenburg Sweden in August 28-30, 2015; and Portsmouth, England, July 23-26, 2015, and July 21–24, 2016.  These join the previously announced Bermuda ACWS in October, 2015. Additional events are anticipated including Cagliari, Italy, in June, 2014, which is as yet unofficial.

Read: Sweden | Portsmouth | Bermuda


Oman to host ACWS Event in February

(Dec 6) AC45 catamaran racing will resume February 27-28 in Oman, for the first Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series regatta of the 2016, organizers said December 6th.  The event will mark the first appearance of the ACWS in the region. The newly announced Oman date joins previously confirmed regattas in Chicago (June) and Portsmouth (July). 

Organizers have been suggesting there will be a total of six ACWS events next year.  Additional rumored but not confirmed dates include France (September) and Tokyo (Oct).  All 2016 events were due to have been announced on December 1, 2015, so the official schedule may become clear shortly.

Read ACEA's Oman Press Release

2016 ACWS Season Starts Feb 27-28:
5 events coming in next 7 Months

Foiling racing in AC45F catamarans continues as the teams work up to the challenger selection races and the America's Cup match in 2017.  The Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series kicks off again at the end of February in Muscat, Oman, followed by regattas in New York (May), Chicago (June), Portsmouth (July), and France (Sept).  Potential additional, though still unconfirmed, events include a regatta in Asia in October and another unnamed location for early 2017.
See 2016-2017 Schedule


Bermuda to Host a 2015 World Series Regatta

(Nov 5) Still a candidate to host the 2017 America's Cup Match, the island of Bermuda has been announced by ACEA as the site of an America's Cup World Series regatta in October, 2015.  An additional ACWS venue was expected to be named today, also, among six to eight 2015 events in total.

Read ACEA Press Release


New York City Confirmed for May 7-8 America's Cup World Series Regatta

(Dec 7) The New York Times reports that the long rumored America's Cup World Series regatta in New York City is now officially set for May 7-8, 2016.

Read: Story at New York Times | ACEA Press Release


Toulon France Announced as 5th ACWS Stop in 2016

(Dec 22) The Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series teams will race AC45F catamarans September 10-11 in Toulon, France, organizers confirmed today.  The regatta joins Oman, New York, Chicago, and Portsmouth as among the announced events for 2016. A sixth regatta, likely in Japan in October, may also be added to the schedule, but is not yet official.

Read ACEA Press Release

 

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