Racing in the 2024 America's Cup match will take place in Barcelona, Spain in mid-October, with a calendar for racing now released
Despite confirmation that the 37th America’s Cup would be raced in Barcelona back in March 2022, the specific dates in which the event would take place have only been revealed today, Wednesday 30th November 2022, with racing due to start on Saturday 12th October 2022.
We knew the event would need to take place at the tail end of the year in order to avoid clashing with the Olympic Games, which will take place in the summer of 2024 in France and the America’s Cup Event Authority had stated an intention to race in the September-October window, which offers a decent range of weather, with wind speeds usually around the 9-15 knot mark.
Racing in the 37th America’s Cup Match itself, which is a best of 13 (first to seven) format will start on Saturday 12th October with two races scheduled, followed by a further two races on Sunday 13th October 2024.
Racing will then pause for two days – at the discretion of the Regatta Director and after consultation with both the Defender and the Challenger – and depending on conditions, both of these days could be used to complete two races a day. The schedule as it stands, without the use of the Monday or Tuesday, would recommence on Wednesday 16th October 2024 for one race (race 5) in the Match followed by the final of the Women’s America’s Cup, which has now also been confirmed.
The Women’s America’s Cup Regatta Final will take place straight after Race 5 on October 16th 2024, with a stated aim to provide the women’s event significant coverage and profile.
Thursday 17th October is officially not scheduled for America’s Cup racing but again, subject to the Regatta Director’s discretion and agreement with the competitors, could be allocated for two further races depending on conditions, whilst Friday 18th October 2024 is officially marked as a ‘Spare Day’ for up to two more races. Two races per day are also scheduled for Saturday 19th October and Sunday 20th October 2024, if required.
As with the last America’s Cup in New Zealand in 2021, the Event Authority hopes to have racing concluded over a weekend (19th/20th October 2024), however the schedule does allow for racing to continue into the following week from the 21st October 2024 through to the 27th October 2024, on reserve days if required.
Speaking about the format announcement, Grant Dalton, CEO of America’s Cup Events Limited commented: “We are excited to confirm the dates determining the Match racing period and our huge thanks go to the Capitán Marítimo and the Port of Barcelona authority who have been so pro-active and accommodative throughout the process. This is a significant event to plan for, with safety concerns at the top of the list for both spectators and competitors.
“I think the result is going to be something pretty spectacular with racing taking place in front of the beach, along the coast from the main port entrance right along the coast, past the Port Olímpic and out further east, offering a fantastic viewing opportunity for the public to see these remarkable boats at full pace.”
The announcement of these event dates has been on the cards for some time, with the America’s Cup protocol stating that: The precise dates determining the Match Racing Period and the race schedule shall be announced by ACE on or before 30 November 2022.
Dates for the Women’s and Youth America’s Cup series (which will take place in AC40s) have yet to be finalised.
It is, however, somewhat disappointing to see only the dates for the America’s Cup match itself and the final of the Women’s America’s Cup final announced, with the Challenger Selection Series (the competition which decides which team will face Cup Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup match) still without firm dates. And it is still unclear when the rest of the Women’s America’s Cup will take place or, indeed, the Youth America’s Cup.
In order to come up with the racing area and dates for Cup racing, an agreement needed to be reached with Barcelona’s Capitán Marítimo to create a spectator area to the south of the City along Barcelona’s beachfront.
Additionally, a permanent exclusion zone for the duration of the racing has been agreed to ensure safety for both the competitors and the expected spectator boats that will take the opportunity to see the AC75s and AC40s at close range.
Although this latest announcement from the America’s Cup Event Authority states that the racing area for the Challenger Selection Series and the America’s Cup have both been confirmed in the same location, that there are not yet dates for the Selection Series implies there may still be some further conversations to be had about the exclusion zones for that, the Women’s America’s Cup series and the Youth America’s Cup too.
2024 America’s Cup schedule
Saturday 12th October – Race 1 + Race 2 Sunday 13th October – Race 3 + Race 4 Monday 14th October – Reserve Day Tuesday 15th October – Reserve Day Wednesday 16th October – Race 5 + Women’s America’s Cup Final Thursday 17th October – Reserve Day Friday 18th October – Spare Race Day (up to 2 races) Saturday 19th October – Race Day (up to 2 races) Sunday 20th October – Race Day (up to 2 races) Monday 21st October – Reserve Day Tuesday 22nd October – Reserve Day Wednesday 23rd October – Reserve Day Thursday 24th October – Reserve Day Friday 25th October – Reserve Day Saturday 26th October – Reserve Day Sunday 27th October – Reserve Day
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