America's Cup Match
Day 1 - Saturday, Oct 12

America's Cup Defense (Best of 13 Series, First to 7 Points):
Challenger: INEOS Britannia representing Royal Yaacht Squadron (GBR)
vs.
Defender: Emirates Team New Zealand representing Royal New Zealand Yach Squadron (NZL)

Two Races per Day
Oct 12, Day 1
Race 1: NZL vs. GBR
Race 2: GBR vs. NZL

Forecast:
Winds under 10 kts, chance of showers. (official site)

Day 1 Outlook:
It's here, opening day of the America's Cup Match, the 37th time since 1851 that a Challenger has faced a Defender for yachting's historic prize.

In the last eight defenses, starting in 1995, New Zealand has been on one side or the other of the Match all but once (excepting 2010's Deed of Gift event). That's anything but random luck. And in all of those contests, aside from the 2003 literal and figurative collapse, the Kiwis came out of the gate with impressive speed, and nearly impeccable match racing execution. They won convincingly in 1995, 2000, 2017, and 2021; they fought hard battles in 2007 and 2013, and nearly won the Cup in those years, too.

For 2024, the New Zealanders have shown just a few cards by sailing in the Rounds-Robin (unprecedented for a defender), but they didn't reveal all that much. The team did not use their latest sails, and seemed to leave their door open for their RR opponents rather than slam it shut. The completely reasonable expectation is that they have speed, plenty of it, and are more than ready to meet the challenger.

The surprise from the beginning of this event, barely 6 weeks ago, is that the challenger is INEOS Britannia, not Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (or even NYYC American Magic). Luna Rossa looked sorted and fast in early racing, but had a few stumbles in the LVC Final. American Magic hinted at speed and innovation, but small mistakes added up to elimination in the SF. Certainly INEOS deserves to be here. Skipper Sir Ben Ainslie has always had a solid team when it comes to execution, even in Auckland in 2021 and Bermuda in 2017. Now he has a boat that's at the front of the challenger pack instead of the back.

The real question, as for any First Race of an America's Cup Defense, is what do the challenger and defender really bring to the contest, who is fastest upwind, downwind, tacking, gybing, pre-start, mark rounding, and everywhere. We won't know until that momentous first leg, at the earliest. The first cross is vital, and a lead at the first windward mark may mean a win.

In this second generation (or third version, since the teams were allowed to build two boats for 2021, but only one boat for 2024), GBR, ITA, and USA looked the best performers among the 5 challengers. Though they had variations in their design approaches, with weights, foil dimensions, and sail areas all narrowly restricted, no one boat was so dominant that they didn't need sound tactics and attentive covering to win. So the big reveal hinges on whether TNZ truly does more speed than all three challengers were able to find. The Kiwis lost only twice in the RRs, one to ITA (on DSQ) and once to GBR (on DNS), which isn't much of a clue.

There's dock talk that Ainslie is the better match racer, but underestimating Peter Burling and crew would be a mistake. ETNZ's best wildcard is Nathan Outteridge, added to the team this cycle. Talented, analytical, and possibly the best sailor in the world right now not to have won the America's Cup yet, Outteridge can be very aggressive at the right times, and combined with Burling, the Kiwis look very strong.

GBR's one clear advantage on NZL is that the Brits have come to the match through the LVC selection regatta, which was a fairly epic battle that pushed them to sail as hard as possible, and they improved almost every day. So GBR should be peaking at the right time. The mystery is what NZL has cooked up inside their shed. Saturday, Race 1, we'll start finding out!

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Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Day 7 - Friday, Oct 4

LVC Final (Best of 13 Series, First to 7 Points):
INEOS Britannia (GBR)
vs.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA)

Two Races per Day
Oct 4, Day 7
Port Entry vs. Starboard Entry
Race 11: GBR beats ITA, 17 seconds
Race 12: GBR vs. ITA (not needed)
GBR wins series (7-4)

Forecast:
Winds light and variable, up to 5 kts. Waves 0.6m (Official site)

Friday Outlook:
Wind doesn't look promising, and if they do race, super light and spotty winds are a frustration to crews and fans alike.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli has their backs to the wall. They have the speed to hang with INEOS Britannia, but between breakdowns and GBR getting early leads, what looked like an unstoppable campaign is still sailing decently, but is also struggling to get the points they need. GBR isn't outclassing ITA, but is just getting it done to get ahead and stay ahead. The LVC Final is coming down to execution. If they get everything right, can ITA even the score?

And if these two teams are a close match, how will ETNZ deal with the Louis Vuitton Cup winner?

Race 11:
Wind comes in much better than the forecasts at 7-9 kts. Close off the line, but GBR gets the cross and stays ahead. GBR leads by 10 seconds at the windward mark. Close match racing throughout, with GBR covering. Deltas are under 10 seconds all the way through, except at the finish, when GBR wins by 17 seconds. INEOS Britannia wins the Louis Vuitton Cup!

INEOS Britannia will challenge the defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, for the America's Cup. Racing begins October 12.

See: LVC Results | Regatta Schedule

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Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Day 6 - Wednesday, Oct 2

LVC Final (Best of 13 Series, First to 7 Points):
INEOS Britannia (GBR)
vs.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA)

Two Races per Day
Oct 2, Day 6
Port Entry vs. Starboard Entry
Race 9: GBR beats ITA, 23 seconds
Race 10: GBR beats ITA, 8 seconds
GBR leads series at (6-4)

Forecast:
Winds N in the morning will become ESE to S, 7-15 kts., in the afternoon. Cloudy and cooler, waves 1m height. (Official site)

Wednesday Outlook:
It's a pitched battle, with much advantage to the early leader. Mid to lower range winds are possible, though the forecast is not very settled overnight. If so, it won't be the roaring speeds of the last couple days, but coupled with the 1m seas, demanding enough for the teams. The favored side of the course might be harder to predict. Nobody can win the Final series Wednesday, but a sweep would put one team on Match Point for Friday. Despite their penalty in the pre-start Tuesday, still look for aggressive tactics, especially from GBR before the start.

Race 9:
ITA led at the first cross, but GBR got ahead on the next one and led at the windward mark. ITA chased them around the course, within seconds, but unable to pass. A split late int he race didn't help, along with a brief fall off the foils and a problem with their sail. GBR wins Race 9 by 23 seconds and is leading the series 5-4.

Race 10:
Early lead for GBR and Luna Rossa stays within 10-12 seconds or so at each mark, but can't leverage anything into a pass. GBR wins Race 10, finish delta 8 seconds, leads the series 6-4.

Racing resumes Friday and INEOS Britannia will be on Match Point.

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Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Day 5 - Tuesday, Oct 1

LVC Final (Best of 13 Series, First to 7 Points):
INEOS Britannia (GBR)
vs.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA)

Two Races per Day
Oct 1, Day 5
Port Entry vs. Starboard Entry
Race 7: GBR beats ITA, ITA DNF
Race 8: ITA beats GBR, 16 seconds
Series tied at (4-4)

Forecast:
Wind SW 14 kts. becoming 17 kts., gusting to 21. Waves steeper at 0.9m height. (Official site)

Tuesday Outlook:
The Finals are showing that either boat can win, the premium is on not making mistakes. That's always been true in the America's Cup, but there's very little room to recover, and passing has been hard to come by. The favored side of the course has not been hard to call, usually the right upwind in these SW breezes. A small lead, and winning the first cross, gives the leader control. With the mid- to upper-range conditions lately, the other factor to get right is sailing in the lifts. Both teams have a good sense of the wind oscillations in Barcelona, and usually a split for a trailing boat is at best a longshot to play only when other options look worse. As the teams are getting each other's measure, look Tuesday for continued confrontation in the pre-start, and tight match racing strategy throughout. Press the other guy to get him to make the mistake. And keep cycling!

Race 7:
Early lead for GBR in close racing up the beat, 1 second delta at top mark, but ITA has breakage on boat. They will not finish race. Can they even start the next one? Skipper Francesco Bruni reports that ITA had problems with their port foil arm.

Race 8:
After frantic repairs, the wind limit delays for a few minutes and then race is live for 3:23pm start. GBR boundary penalty in the pre-start, they clear it after the starting gun. ITA leads by 12 seconds at the top mark. Course is lengthened, so wind is not fading. Boats seperate on the downwind leg. ITA continues to push ahead, but the boats stay close in heavy air and deep gybes. Delta for ITA is 8 seconds ahead at Mark 2. Wind is swinging direction pretty well. ITA still leading at the second windward mark. Heavy winds keeping the crews on their toes, limiting some close covering. GBR stays close, but ITA is steady enough. Lead is 350m on final downwind, but at these speeds it's not so much by the clock. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli wins Race 8 by 16 seconds! Series is tied at 4-4.

Racing resumes tomorrow, Wednesday, with Races 9 and 10. Early wind forecast is 6-16 kts. Thursday is a scheduled Reserve Day.

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Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Day 4 - Monday, Sep 30

LVC Final (Best of 13 Series, First to 7 Points):
INEOS Britannia (GBR)
vs.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA)

Two Races per Day
Sep 30, Day 4
Port Entry vs. Starboard Entry
Race 5: GBR beat ITA, 12 seconds
Race 6: ITA beat GBR, 17 seconds
Series tied at (3-3)

Forecast:
Wind SW 13-15 kts., gusts to 20. Wave 0.6m. On course at race time: Winds are just below limit of 21 kts.

Outlook:
ITA is probably a bit faster, but not enough to dominate, and GBR seems to lose less distance in tacking and gybing now. ITA isn't fast enough to easily pass outright, so starting in the lead is critical, even more so for GBR. Expect INEOS to be very agressive trying to win the start, since that's the best path to victory for them. Luna Rossa still needs to find the favored side of the course, in any case. Tactics up the beats are key, as well as the crucial choices at the leeward gates that set up the first upwind cross on each leg.

Race 5:
ITA off foils in pre-start, 20 seconds behind. GBR protects the right, ITA takes an extra tack, and GBR leads by 5 seconds at the first mark. GBR covers well, then rounds poorly at Mark 4, skidding in the turn, letting ITA get within striking distance. Despite getting out of phase and pressing GBR hard, ITA doesn't find the wind to get ahead, and GBR finishes with a 12-second margin, winning Race 5! INEOS Britannia leads series (3-2).

Race 6:
ITA finds speed on port, builds on early lead. Close margins at all gates, but GBR can't chip away at it from behind. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli wins Race 6 with a delta of 17 seconds! Series is tied at (3-3).

Racing resumes Tuesday with Race 7 and 8. Wind forecast is for SW 10-15 kts, though that was the same as predicted for today and the breeze came in close to the wind limits.

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Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Day 3 - Sunday, Sep 29

LVC Final (Best of 13 Series, First to 7 Points):
INEOS Britannia (GBR)
vs.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA)

Two Races per Day
Sep 29, Day 3
Port Entry vs. Starboard Entry
Race 3: GBR beats ITA (ITA DSQ)
Race 4: ITA beats GBR, 6 seconds
Series tied at (2-2)

Forecast:
Light NE winds early becoming SW 10-15 kts. in the afternoon. Waves 0.6m.

Sunday Outlook:
Re-sail of Race 3 (Abandoned due to time limit) and Race 4 (Postponed) from yesterday. The surprise in the very spotty and shifty wind conditions Saturday was that GBR looked more stable and dialed-in for the lightest of conditions. In the RR stage, it was usually ITA that held that designation. Possibly the teams have adapted their boats to the competition a bit for the Final. It's hard to draw too many conclusions, though, when the wind is so inconsistent. Sunday should see solid mid-range winds, and provide a good picture of the capability of each boat in the center of their design envelopes.

Race 3:
Luna Rossa had a broken mainsail batten before the start, they had to lower and replace the main. There wasn't enough time to complete the work before the start sequence began, and ITA was disqualified for outside assistance in the pre-start.

Race 4:
Long series of delays for wind over the limit. Underway. Close quarters in the pre-start, but no penalties. Early lead for Luna Rossa, both on port tack after the start. Turn right at the top of the course, 4 second delta. GBR turns left. Split downwind, ITA to the left side, GBR to the right. They come back together and ITA is 130m ahead. GBR gybes to follow ITA, on same course ITA opens lead to 180m. Into bottom gate, GBR pulls closer after ITA gybes. ITA turns left, GBR right. 6 second delta.

Upwind ITA gets the favored right side, comes back 130 m ahead, tacks to port ahead of GBR. INEOS at speed closes gap to 30m, just off their leeward quarter. They tack at the boundary. GBR is a little further back now, 80m, but right with ITA. Halfway across the course, GBR tacks to port, ITA covers. Wind just over 20kts. Into top gate, on starboard layline, ITA turns left, GBR follows. 5 second delta. 120m lead downwind for Luna Rossa. Out to 150m, both boats on port gybe. On starboard, GBR gains, down to 120m by the gate, ITA turns right, GBR left. 11 second delta. ITA edges lead out further. 19 seconds at Mark 5. Three legs to go.

Lead up to 450m. 20 seconds at Mark 6. 300m lead upwind on last windward leg. ITA left, GBR right. Approaching the layline, GBR has gained, lead is under 100m. They tack for the right gate, ITA crosses GBR and tacks in their path. Both turn right. Delta is 6 seconds onto last leg. 50kts boatspeed each. GBR gybes away early. ITA goes to the boundary. Lead is 150m. ITA crosses ahead, gybes to leeward. GBR closes up to 90m. ITA hangs on. GBR gybes away for finish. ITA follows. GBR down to 75m. 70m. They rip across the finish line. ITA wins by 4 seconds! Probably the best race of the regatta so far. Series is tied at 2-2.

Racing is expected to resume on Monday, Sep 20, a designated Reserve Day, to stay on schedule. Races 5 and 6.

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Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Day 2 - Saturday, Sep 28

LVC Final (Best of 13 Series, First to 7 Points):
INEOS Britannia (GBR)
vs.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA)

Two Races per Day
Sep 28, Day 2
Port Entry vs. Starboard Entry
Race 3: ITA vs. GBR (14:10 scheduled)
Race 4: GBR vs. ITA (15:15 scheduled)
Series tied at (1-1)

Forecast:
Wind ESE 5 kts. becoming SE-S 10 kts. throughout afternoon. Seas 0.6m from East. looking ahead to Sunday, winds SW in mid-teens.

Outlook:
Day 1 didn't show either team clearly dominant in higher winds. Luna Rossa had no trouble stretching out the margins mark by mark in Race 1, but passing was not in the cards for Race 2, with INEOS clear ahead and protecting their lead. Look for an all-out effort to win the starts Saturday from GBR. The lighter conditions have generally been a better advantage for ITA, though, as long as they were able to stay on foils. Wherever they start, the Italians are going to be a handful for the Brits, if racing comes off in the forecast under 10 kt. breeze. Calmer seas should help both boats.

Race 3:
Wind Delay (last update 15:45/3:45pm). Start sequence proceeding for 16:10/4:10pm, race is underway. Wind is light and spotty, but above limits. GBR is pointing higher, and showing great VMG, plus getting the wind shift. Early lead at first cross for GBR. Wind is swinging significantly, and will be a major factor. GBR leads by :19 at the first upwind gate. Luna Rossa comes on strong downwind, finding private breeze with bettrer angle after the turn, and takes the lead. Then GBR gets their turn with the wind, and rolls back into the lead. Race Director is sucessively shortinging the course as race goes on, suggesting wind is staying light. At second gate, INEOS leads by :15. ITA has trouble staying on foils, GBR pulls away. At Gate 3, Delta is 1:28. Course is shortened again. At Gate 4, Delta is 1:13. Wind keeps getting weaker. Both boats in displacement mode. Time limit mercifully expires. Race Abandoned. RAcing called for the day. Race 3 will be re-sailed Sunday.

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Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Day 1 - Thursday, Sep 26

LVC Final (Best of 13 Series, First to 7 Points):
INEOS Britannia (GBR)
vs.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA)

Two Races per Day
Sep 26, Day 1
Port Entry vs. Starboard Entry
Race 1: ITA beats GBR, 46 seconds
Race 2: GBR beats ITA, 18 seconds
Series tied at (1-1)

Forecast:
Wind SW 10 kts in the morning, becoming SSW 14-18 kts in the afternoon, gusts to 25 kts. Seas 1.3m from SW. Current prediction for future race days is lighter (10kts) Saturday, and very light (4-8 kts) Sunday.

Outlook:
Big time racing now. INEOS Britannia started clicking much better at the end of the Rounds Robin, and dispatched Alinghi Red Bull Racing in the Semi-Finals without too much trouble. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli was strong from the start of racing, though had some uncharacteristic misfortune and mistakes in the semis against NYYC American Magic, including broken mainsail components and a fall off of foils, losing three in a row before getting their needed fifth SF win. On pure momentum, GBR is showing promise, but is that improvement enough for them to beat ITA consistently?

The teams have only met twice so far in the 2024 regatta, ITA winning the first time by 1:24, and GBR winning the second time by 0:25. Since the SF, GBR and ITA have had several days off, and performance in the America's Cup is a moving target. The central task is finding ways to get faster, sail better, and not repeat mistakes. One good aspect of the LVC Final is that there are enough races to even out some factors of chance. And there is a slightly bigger window for the teams to take each other's measure and make adjustments that balance their advantages and disadvantages to best effect. These two yachts were clearly consistently fast and well-sailed in the first two rounds, and deserve to be here in the Final. How they might match-up to the Defender will be the lurking question while watching this series. This is also a rematch of the 2021 challenger Final, which ITA won.

Thursday's weather may be at the upper end of the envelope on wind, and a real test for boats and sailors. Wind is expected generally to strengthen going into October and the America's Cup Match, so it's important to get racing experience for the crews, and see who has the best ability to beat the defender, in the mid-to upper range of conditions.

Race 1:
Luna Rossa is ahead by 130m at the first cross, and gains more after an INEOS splashdown. Though the delta at Marks 1 and 2 is only 11 seconds, the lead progressively extends throughout the race. ITA wins Race 1 by 46 seconds and leads the LVC Final series (1-0).

Race 2:
Early lead for GBR, and they defended their preferred side well, sailing in better wind. ITA stayed close most of the way, but couldn't get ahead, and a split didn't pay off for them either. INEOS Britannia wins Race 2 by 18 seconds, and ties the LVC final at (1-1).

Racing resumes Saturday at 2:10 pm.

See LVC Results and Standings

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals
Day 5 - Thursday, Sep 19

LVC Semi-Finals (Best of 9 Series):
SF1, Race 8: ITA beat USA, 1 minute, 1 sec
SF1, Race 9: ITA vs. USA*
*not needed

Luna Rossa wins Semi-Final, advances to face INEOS Britannia in LVC Final

Forecast Conditions:
Winds light and variable, filling in from S, becoming 6-11 knots. Waves 0.8m from the E (Official site).

Outlook:
Remarkable results yesterday, and American Magic is sailing better and better, well-matched with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. Yesterday's second race was marred by a breakdown on the Italian boat, in the middle of another very close and hard fought race. America Magic has found ways to prevail, and has improved their low wind manuevers and decision making. Luna Rossa probably appreciated the benefit of finding the weaknesses in their boat sooner rather than later, as the stakes will only keep rising. Still, their broken mainsail gear cost them Race 7, and they can't have something like that continue. NYYC American Magic is already in a must-win position. LRPP needs to avoid that peril. An anything-can-happen Race 9 would be an incredible showdown. Assuming there is enough wind to make a race happen on Thursday, look for very agressive tactical battles. The predicted rain has been pushed to Friday, if racing needs to extend another day.

Race 8, ITA beat USA:
Close start, on time, early lead to USA, an early cross, but ITA rolls under them next them they meet and takes a slight lead. USA keeps missing the wind that ITA is finding, and the lead slowly builds. USA occasionally cuts into the margin, but ITA keeps pulling out again. ITA wins by 1:01 to head to the Louis Vuitton Cup final against GBR! Series score (5-3).

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals
Day 4 - Wednesday, Sep 18

LVC Semi-Finals (Best of 9 Series):
SF2, Race 6: SUI beat GBR, 1 minute, 23 sec
SF1, Race 6: USA beat ITA, (ITA DSQ)
SF2, Race 7: GBR beat SUI, 1 minutes, 10 sec
SF1, Race 7: USA beat ITA, (ITA DNF)

Forecast Conditions:
NE wind early veering to E, 5-8 knots, by race time, increasing in pressure up to 12kt gusts. Continued veering to SE through afternoon. Waves: 0.8 to 1m, from the east. (official forecast). Update: At Race Time, 5.5 kts, peaks at 8 kts, still veering E to SE to SSE as the day goes on. Waves observed 1.1m, choppy, from E. Thursday forecast similar, plus rainy intervals.

Both GBR and ITA start the day leading their respective series (4-1), at match point.

Outlook:
The great racing skipper Yogi Berra said "It ain't over 'til it's over." NYYC American Magic and Alinghi Red Bull Racing are fighting for their campaigns to continue, needing to win every time now. Monday's surprises showed they can do it. USA raced very well, while it was Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli making the one small mistake that cost them the race. USA also has the take away that they were giving it as good as they got while it was a two-boat race. Execute, and keep doing it, is the order of the day. SUI showed they can get it done, too, and that GBR is not flawless, though their Monday win featured a lot more displacement mode sailing than anybody prefers. Alinghi surely believes they can find more ways to win, too. The two favorites know they have time on their side, but no race is a given. Will we see any 4-3 series at the end of the day Wednesday? Or will the Louis Vuitton Cup Final pairing be decided? A pivotal day ahead.

Race 6, SUI beat GBR:
Alinghi Red Bull sailed a flawless race in light winds and a choppy sea state to beat INEOS by 1:23.

Race 6, USA beat ITA:
This race, shortened to 4 legs with the wind dropping to around 5.5 kts at the top gate, featured multiple lead changes and a combination of foiling and displacement modes. At the final windward gate, NYYC American Magic denied Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli a straight path to a mark, sealing the Italians' fate. On the final downwind leg, LRPP, in displacement mode, was disqualified when she sailed out of the boundary.

Race 7, GBR beat SUI:
GBR Wins Series, Alinghi Red Bull Racing is eliminated. INEOS Britannia advances to the Louis Vuitton Cup Final, where they will race the winner of the other SF match.

Race 7, USA beat ITA:
Luna Rossa is DNF after failure of their mainsail mechanism during the race. American Magic pulls to (4-3) in the series. Racing again tomorrow as conditions permit.

See LVC Semi-Final Results and Standings

Also: See Unicredit Youth America's Cup Results and Standings

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals
Day 3 - Monday, Sep 16

LVC Semi-Finals (Best of 9 Series):
SF2, Race 5: SUI beat GBR (GBR DNF)
SF1, Race 5: USA beat ITA (ITA DNF)
SF2, Race 6: GBR vs. SUI* PPN
SF1, Race 6: ITA vs. USA* PPN
*if needed

Update: Racing postponed (PPN) until Wednesday.

Forecast:
Wind southerly, 4 to 8 knots, unsettled and shifty. Sea state calm (official site). If racing is postponed from Monday, Tuesday is a Reserve Day, but a similar forecast. Wednesday is light, Thursday is higher wind, up to 17 kts, but prediction is for rain, too.

Outlook:
Elimination day could be here for two more of the five 2024 challenger candidates. Italy and Great Britain have each swept their series so far, and one more win will advance them to the LVC Final. NYYC American Magic and Alinghi Red Bull Racing could exit the event after just 14 races that counted. It's easy to think that a longer event might be better for fans, sailors, and everyone else. Auckland in 2003 featured a repechage round where the quarterfinal losers faced each other for a second chance, giving them time to get their ACC yachts squared away. Having more teams in the event longer works from both the sporting and spectator sides. But that isn't the plan right now. If the Semi-Finals end Monday, it will be nine days off until the Final begins.

Race outlook:
USA has shown they can match ITA in speed at times, but ITA has usually picked better wind, rounded and tacked better, and made fewer errors sailing the boat. American Magic can win a race if they put everything together; they were a boat length away from grabbing the lead at the finish on Sunday, but need to have everything working perfectly. The light air conditions that are expected Monday have been exactly the hardest conditions to sail Patriot in, so far. ITA executes well, is fast in nearly all situations, and seems able to sail a bit lower downwind when they need to. With a reasonably even match-up in the straight line drag race sense, it's the the ability to get an early lead and protect it with tough match race tactics, including relentless covering and winning tactical chess moves before and after the gates, that will be the true test for both teams.

GBR is sailing very solidly, looking stable on foils, and sensible on tactics. Ainslie seems to always sail well, even when he's had a slow boat, and their AC75 is looking anything but slow lately. Where GBR is going to be in the horse race with, say, ITA, when they (likely) meet again is a big question, since both teams are improving as the event goes on, and will have an extended time off before the final. Right now, the British against the Swiss is a different situation. Alinghi has flashes of speed upwind, but downwind haven't been so close in performance. Alinghi's mishaps in the pre-start have put them more or less impossibly behind in some races. It's a steep climb, but they have a talented crew and could still make something good happen. Now's the time.

SUI beats GBR:
Alinghi Red Bull claims a precious win in challenging conditions, finishing the race in displacement mode, with only three minutes to spare before racing was abandoned due to time limit. Series stands at (4-1).  

USA beat ITA:
A close back and forth race with several lead changes, protests, and penalties. Luna Rossa fell off foils in an agressive turn at an inside mark rounding, and NYYC American Magic kept going, winning by well over a kilometer, ITA Did Not Finish. Series stands at (4-1) for ITA.

SUI vs. GBR, R6:
Wind is dropping out. (14:45/4:45pm) Rolling delays, uncertain if more racing today. Update: (15:20/5:20pm) Still delaying. Update: (15:25/5:25pm) Called for the day.

Next:
The Youth America's Cup event begins Tuesday, which was a scheduled Reserve Day for the LVC. The Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals are set to continue on Wednesday.

See Semi-Final Results and Standings

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals
Day 2 - Sunday, Sep 15

LVC Semi-Finals (Best of 9 Series):
SF2, Race 3: ITA beats USA, 26 seconds
SF1, Race 3: GBR beats SUI, 2 minutes, 20 sec
SF2, Race 4: ITA beats. USA, 2 seconds
SF1, Race 4: GBR beats SUI, 48 seconds

Conditions:
Winds 12-13 kts, S to SSE. Waves 1.5 feet.

ITA beat USA:
Luna Rossa Prada Perelli, to leeward of NYYC American Magic, won the start and then led at all gates. American Magic touched down briefly at one of the bottom gates, giving up a distance that was too hard to make up. ITA wins by 26 seconds. Series stands at (3-0).

GBR beat SUI:
Alinghi Red Bull made a difficult manuever with a minute to go in the pre-start, fell off foils, got out of sync with the boat, risked a capsize, although not penalized after GBR hunted them and protested. SUI started very slowly while INEOS Briitannia hit the line at full speed. The lead was already 1 km on the first leg, and still 1:40 at the third mark. GBR Wins by 2:20 at the finish. Series stands at (3-0)

ITA beat USA:
Even start, close throughout with ITA leading. USA reeled them in, but ITA had a boat length as they crossed just before the finish, and edged USA by a 2 second delta at the line. ITA now leads series (4-0). One win to go.

GBR beat SUI:
Racing is close up the first leg, SUI is sailing well, but GBR pulls away throughout the race, as wind builds to 16-18 kts. INEOS Britannia leads series now (4-0). One win to go.

Next: Racing resumes Monday, with the fifth and possibly deciding race in each series. Early forecast is for lighter winds, southerly, 6 knots, possibly not consistent, flat seas. If racing makes the start, it will be trying conditions for the boats.

See Semi-Final Results and Standings

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals
Day 1 - Saturday, Sep 14

SF2, Race 1: ITA beats USA, 7 seconds
SF1, Race 1: GBR beats SUI, 2 minutes, 5 sec
SF2, Race 2: ITA beats USA, 18 seconds
SF1, Race 2: GBR beats SUI, 1 minute, 37 sec

USA vs. ITA:
USA started well, protected their lead for three legs, but ITA closed up after USA fell off foils on Leg 4, and ITA was faster downwind, often finding better wind at other times, and hard to catch once in the lead.

GBR vs. SUI:
Alinghi started ahead, led 11 seconds at Mark 1, downwind GBR got better wind in a split after the rounding, and GBR got ahead and sailed away, especially downwind. 2:05 final margin.

ITA vs. USA:
Early lead for USA, wind getting light, coming off foils at bottom mark and ITA closes up, wind is spotty throughout and lighter, lead goes back and forth, but ITA comes out on top of Leg 3 while USA takes an extra tack. USA shows closing speed on the final downwind, but not enough room or time to make it into a pass, and ITA hangs on to win Race 2. Delta at finish was 18 seconds. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli leads series 2-0.

SUI vs. GBR:
SUI had pre-start problems, but couldn't play their delay card, started with a penalty. GBR sailed away from them. INEOS Britannia leads series 2-0.

See Semi-Final Results and Standings

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Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals: Pairings Set

(Sep 13, 20204) INEOS Britannia chose Alinghi Red Bull as their semi-final opponent, leaving Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli to race NYYC American Magic. The Semi-Finals are a best of nine series starting Saturday, Sept 14, with two races planned per day for each pair of semi-finalists (four races total per day). Also, as further prerogatives of the Round Robin winner, GBR also their match to be the second race of the day, and to enter the starting area on starboard tack.

Speculation surrounded the possible choice, given INEOS had beaten Luna Rossa twice in a row on the final day to end a Round Robin stage that saw the Italians win every other race against a challenger candidate. Luna Rossa is still a very strong looking team, and American Magic will have to be on much better form to have a chance against Luna Rossa. USA has shown speed, but has also had a lot of small problems turn into bigger problems. Alinghi didn't win a lot of races in the opening stage, but was a tough competitor much of the time.

Sir Ben Ainslie, Skipper and Team Principal, INEOS Britannia, said the expected sailing conditions were a key consideration, in addiiton to assessment of Round Robin competition: "So the forecast for the Semi-Final period was a really important factor in our decision. In all honesty, we didn’t actually confirm our decision until a few hours ago and we had input from our sailing team and coaches as well as our performance, analysis and technical teams.""

All the teams have learned, tried to make adjustments, and should raise their performance in the Semi-Finals. Who is getting better fastest? That's Saturday's question.

See: Regatta Format | Schedule

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Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin 2
Day 4 - Monday

INEOS Britannia is top of the Challengers,
Orient Express Eliminated
Semi-Finals start Saturday.

Round Robin 2, Day 4 (Monday, Sep 9)
First start: 2:10 pm Local time
Race 28: GBR beats FRA, 1 minute 11 sec
Race 29: SUI beats ITA, ITA DSQ
Race 30: NZL beats USA, 2 minute 22 sec
Sail-Off Race: FRA vs. SUI (not needed)*
Sail-Off Race: GBR beats ITA*
*See explanation in Outlook below

Results:
INEOS beat Orient Express, to send the French out of the challenger selection process, and saving Alinghi Red Bull from a Sail-Off against FRA. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli was DSQ/DNS after a foil problem kept them from starting properly. New Zealand sailed away from American Magic after Leg 1, though it was close before that despite a boundary penalty on USA in the pre-start. Following NZL vs. USA, the GBR win and ITA loss set up a sail-off between GBR-ITA to decide the top spot in the Double Round Robin stage. GBR showed speed throughout, won the sail-off, ranks first in the Challenger standings, and will make theirchoice of Semi-Final opponent known at the Semi-Finalists press conference set for Friday at 5:30pm.

Outlook:

Standings before Race 28:
1 ITA Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 6 pts.
2 GBR INEOS Racing 5 pts.
3 USA American Magic 4 pts.
4 SUI Alinghi Red Bull 2 pts.
5 FRA Orient Express 1 pt.

Outlook:
Round Robin racing is almost over, and the two key results of the opening stage are not yet settled. The first place challenger (Italy right now) gets to make the critical decision on who their Semi-Final opponent is going to be, while last place among the five challengers will have their AC37 experience end, with just 8 races under their belt.

The winner of the first race today, either GBR or FRA, will have a chance at improving their finish. If the French win Race 28 while the Swiss lose Race 29, they would stand tied in last place, and face each other in a single sail-off race to break the tie. The loser would be eliminated. If the British win R28 while the Italians lose R29, both teams would be tied for first place, and have sail-off. Both races are not possible. If the Sail-off is needed, but does not fit Sunday's schedule, then Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are Reserve Days. If the schedule slips past that, any first or last place tie would be broken according to countback procedures in the Racing Rules of Sailing for the America's Cup (RRSAC). (Ties for other positions will not be broken.)

The First Place challenger candidate's selection of their Semi-Final opponent is pivotal. And though it might seem obvious Team #1 should pick the weakest opponent, sometimes the best strategy might actually to pick the strongest opponent that still seems beatable now, before they get any better. Factoring into this decision will be the perception of performance seen in different sailing conditions in the Rounds Robin, measured against forecasts for the Semi-Finals. Louis Vuitton Semi-Finals start next Saturday, Sept 14.

See Round Robin Results, Pairings, and Standings


See Statistics and Analysis of RR1 + 2 Racing

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Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin 2
Day 3 - Saturday

Round Robin 2, Day 3 (Sat, Sep 7)
First start: 2:10 pm Local time
Race 22: ITA beat USA, 22 seconds
Race 23: GBR beat SUI, 53 seconds
Race 26: USA beat FRA, 15 seconds
Race 27: NZL beat SUI, 38 seconds
Race 25: GBR beat ITA, 25 seconds

Results:
USA got one badly needed win that avoids risk of an elimination sail-off. GBR got two wins, also avoiding that fate, but showing great speed in mid-range wind, and beating ITA, the Italians' first loss against another challenger candidate. SUI lost a key race against GBR, making the FRA-GBR match Sunday a possibilty for Orient Express to tie Alinghi at two points, and force the elimination Sail-Off between the two as the last race of the day Sunday.

USA looked decidely slower against ITA, and got spit out of some tactical interactions because of it, despite a near even start. This is even more of a concern becuase in these conditions INEOS was able to beat Luna Rossa. Alinghi Red Bull looked increasingly strong, but not enough to beat the top form teams they faced today. Emirates Team New Zelaland handled the Swiss without trouble.

Outlook:
This is the make or break day of the Opening Stage of challenger selection. Four out of five teams will get to the semi-finals, but who will go home after this round? SUI's sudden turn toward winning, after struggling for RR1, has put many possibilities in play. Likewise USA's inability to put points on the board. But it's France's Orient Express Racing that is central to the outcome. If FRA wins both races, they are likely set up a tie with at least one other team. GBR and USA each have three points, and each have to race top team Luna Rossa still, so could conceiveably end up tied with France. Any ties for last place will be settled with a Sail-Off race, or a series of Sail-Off races for a multi-way tie. Traditional countbacks will determine the order of multi-boat series, but will only decide an outcome if the sail-off is not possible. Unexpectedly, INEOS, with three races left, could finish in first place overall or be eliminated depending on how events unfold. Of course, Luna Rossa is the favorite, but the standings are up in the air for the start of Saturday's RR2 races. Any team that gets to four points will be safe this round.

What teams needs to do: Alinghi, continue to sail tight races, speed and execution are improving. Luna Rossa, keep the silver pedal to the metal. It's working, and they look better all the time. INEOS, 3-1 against challengers in RR1, winless this round, needs to find their form again; beating SUI early would take the pressure off racing ITA and FRA. American Magic, lead early and stay on foils. Orient Express, win and win!

Buckle up, Saturday could be a wild ride.

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Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin 2
Day 2 - Thursday

Day 2, RR2 (Thu, Sep 5): 
Race 18: USA beats GBR
Race 19: ITA beats FRA
Race 21: NZL beats GBR
Race 20: SUI beats USA
Race 24: NZL beats FRA

Update: Wednesday's Racing has been moved to Thursday due to weather. Five races will be held.

Outlook:
Competition is getting tense in the RR. Staying out of the bottom slot, or even tied for it, is key for survival.

For SUI, the task is a single race today, but they did win their first race (and first point) against FRA on Day 1 of the second round. Do they have momentum now? Italy is currently sitting on four points, and with only one more win in the next 4 races they will clinch a Semi-Final spot. Ideally they want to be first among challengers, too, at the end of the RR. INEOS Britannia has three points starting the day. Two wins in their two races would secure them safely in the semis, too. American Magic has just two points, and could find themselves vulnerable if Orient Express or Alinghi catches fire. USA needs to win to stay away from those kinds of worries. Orient Express, with just one point so far, has shown speed upwind, but has not match raced as well as the top teams and ITA will be a real test for them today. It's a precarious next couple of days: one challenger will be out of the regatta after only 8 real races, despite years of preparation. One team will get to choose their preferred SF opponent.

SUI and FRA have only three races left to earn points; GBR, ITA, and USA have four races left to do so.

Thursday Results:
Great day for Alinghi Red Bull Racing, mixed day for American Magic, and worse day for Orient Express.

Alinghi sailed a very solid race against American Magic, helped by a pre-start penalty on USA, reinforced by tight match racing from ahead that kept USA from passing, even when AM might have had more speed upwind, and then Alinghi cemented the win when USA fell off foils twice, opening up an insurmountable lead in the increasingly light conditions. The point from the win gives SUI life in the regatta, and put them ahead now of FRA, who is in the elimination slot by themselves right now. GBR's loss to USA in the first race of the day was a boost to American Magic, and had USA beating SUI would have clinched a Semi-Final spot. For GBR the loss keeps them #2 behind Luna Rossa, who just quietly keeps winning and getting stronger. NZL clocked wins against GBR and FRA, which don't affect the standings.

See Round Robin Results, Pairings, and Standings

Revised Schedule:
FourFive races are scheduled for Wednesday Thursday, 5 races, Saturday, and 3 races Sunday, unless lightning strikes twice. The Sunday plan leaves room for a Sail-Off race if only one is needed to break critical ties (first or last place). More than one sail-off would probably spill into next week.

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Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin 2
Day 1 - Tuesday

(Sep, 2024) The second half of the Double Round Robin to select the challenger began Tuesday, though after two races the remainder of the schedule was postponed due to dangerous conditions, with lightning striking the water (very) close to competitors.

Day 1, RR2 (Tue, Sep 3):
Race 16: SUI beat FRA, 1 minute 10 sec
Race 17: ITA beat NZL, NZL DSQ
Race 18: GBR vs. USA, Postponed 
Race 19: FRA vs. ITA, Postponed

Alinghi Red Bull took their first victory of the Rounds Robin againt Orient Express. Luna Rossa won their race after ETNZ was disqualified for sailing outside the boundary.

See 2024 America's Cup Event Format

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Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin 1 

(August, 2024) Racing started in Barcelona, Spain, to select the challenger for the 2024 America's Cup. First up is a Double Round Robin to choose 4 of the 5 challenger candidates to advance to the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final.

Day 1, RR1 (Thursday Aug 29):
Race 1: FRA beats SUI, 24 seconds
Race 2: NZL beats ITA, 12 seconds
Race 3: GBR beats USA, 14 seconds
Race 4: ITA beats FRA, 1 minute 24 sec

American Magic lost their race, but despite falling off of foils in the pre-start and being penalized for OCS (On Course at the Start), USA came back from a nearly 900m gap to be within 14 seconds at the finish in light conditions. France beat Alinghi in Race 1, though the Swiss sailing a good race with no major mistakes. France struggled early against Italy, especially downwind and at the bottom gate, enough for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli to speed out to a sizable lead and hold onto it even after falling off their rudder on Leg 4.

Day 2, RR1 (Friday Aug 30):
Race 5: USA beats SUI, 2 minutes 58 sec
Race 6: GBR wins one point, NZL DNS
Racing Abandoned for the Day (wind)

American Magic notched a nice win handling light air conditions adeptly and getting on foil, and staying on foils, better than opponent Alinghi Red Bull. INEOS had to start their scheduled match in order to receive her point against the damaged NZL, still back in the shed being evaluated after her crane incident last night. The Race Director then declared the race for GBR. Continuing light winds led to abandoning racing for the remainder of Friday.

Racing continues Saturday. Race 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are scheduled for tomorrow, per updated Sailing Instructions. Races 8 and 12 involve NZL, who stated Friday that they are planning to be racing.

Day 3, RR1 (Saturday , Aug 31): 
Race 7: ITA beats USA, 24 seconds
Race 8: NZL beats FRA, FRA DNS
Race 9: GBR beats SUI, 1 minute 25 sec
Race 10: USA beats FRA, FRA DNF
Race 11: ITA beats GBR, 1 minute 24 sec
Race 12: SUI vs. NZL, PPN (Postponed to Sunday)

France had to withdraw in Race 8, when they had technical problems during the pre-start. They also lost to USA in Race 10, when FRA fell off foils at the end of the fourth leg in light wind, in what had been a close race until that point. France was far enough behind to be ruled DNF, outside the five minute window. Before the start of Race 11, Luna Rossa played their delay card to change jibs, though the race was already in a wind hold, and they may prefer to try for better conditions tomorrow. Also before Race 11, the Race Director announced that the planned Race 12 will be moved to Sunday, a consequence of time considerations after wind holds earlier in the day.

INEOS Britannia (GBR) and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) top the standings with three wins apeice and one races each left to go in the first round.

Day 4, RR1 (Sunday, Sep 1):
Race 12: NZL beats SUI, SUI was DSQ
Race 13: GBR beats FRA, 16 seconds
Race 14: ITA beats SUI, 26 seconds
Race 15: NZL beats USA, 29 seconds

Conditions: winds under 10 kts., swell building from SE.
Alinghi Red Bull RAcing was disqualified before the start for not being within 100 meters of the pre-start box. The team had returned to port to fix a problem with their mainsail before the race, when they found the bolt rope on the luff had come out of the track, and Alinghi could not get back to the course in time. The loss does not affect their challenger selection. SUI sailed 4 legs against NZL anayway, before the race was stopped. GBR sailed a good race against FRA, though getting a port/starboard penalty against Orient Express. The French themselves had been penalized for OCS. Italy showed good speed and higher angles against Alinghi in Race 14, bounced them off their preferred side of the course, and completed the first Round Robin 4-0 against the challengers. NZL leads early off the line against USA, but American Magic passes them, leads until NZL gets some better breeze upwind, and then USA has a slow mark rounding, giving up too much itance on the final downwind.

If all four races are sailed on Sunday, that will complete the first of the two Rounds Robin. Race 16, the first of RR2, was originally scheduled for the last race of the day on Sunday. Iain Murrary, Race Director, announced that RR2 will begin on Sep 2 (a Reserve Day) or Sep 3 (a scheduled race day), depending on weather and timely wrap up of RR1, with a final decision to be announced Sunday. If either of those days is announced a s a Race Day, the other will be considered a Reserve Day. Update: Race Director announced that Modnay will be the Reserve Day and Tuesday Sep 3 will be that start of RR2, with the first four races planned.

See Round Robin Results, Pairings, and Standings 

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