This Friday morning New Zealand time (Thursday Spanish time) the much-anticipated Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta begins in Barcelona, setting the stage for the upcoming Louis Vuitton Cup. As the third preliminary event in the run-up to the 37th America’s Cup, this regatta carries added significance, being the first to feature the latest generation of AC75 yachts. With the main competition starting on 29th August, the regatta offers a crucial opportunity for teams to fine-tune their strategies and performance.
Despite the lack of points at stake in the Louis Vuitton Cup, the teams are aware of the psychological impact a strong performance in Barcelona can have. With no clear front-runner among the competitors, every team is poised to make their mark. The focus will be on mastering specific wind conditions and refining tactical execution, as performance analysts and coaching teams work intensively to glean insights from each race.
The tight competition across the fleet adds to the excitement, with no team holding a definitive advantage across all conditions. The importance of a strong start and flawless race execution cannot be overstated, as the smallest of margins could determine the outcomes in this highly competitive environment.
Spectators are in for a thrilling opening day, with a series of tantalising matchups. The day begins with a head-to-head between Alinghi Red Bull Racing and the Orient Express Racing Team. The Swiss team, known for its precision, will be aiming to capitalise on the high manoeuvrability of their BoatOne, while the French will rely on their boat’s impressive upwind speed. Training results suggest a slight edge for the Swiss, but this race promises to be closely contested.
Then its our turn, ETNZ out on the water
Following this, a blockbuster encounter between the finalists of the last America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, is expected to captivate audiences. Both teams have demonstrated top-tier performance in training, with their AC75 designs showing advancements that could give them the edge in varied conditions. This match is too close to call, as it could hinge on the racecraft and skill of the crews, with the Kiwis’ Peter Burling and Nathan Outteridge facing off against Luna Rossa’s Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni.
The competition continues with a fascinating face-off between INEOS Britannia and NYYC American Magic. Questions remain about the performance and boatspeed of both teams. The American cyclor team’s innovative power setup will be tested against the traditional approach of the British boat. Meanwhile, the differing hull designs—American Magic’s low profile versus Britannia’s robust aero profile—will be under scrutiny. With experienced sailors like Ben Ainslie and Tom Slingsby leading their respective teams, this race promises top-class match racing, with the outcome likely dependent on specific weather conditions.
The final race of the day sees Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli back on the water against Orient Express Racing Team. This race will be critical in assessing the teams’ pre-start tactics and upwind capabilities. Luna Rossa’s strength in manoeuvre execution may give them an edge, but the French team’s inherent hull-form speed could make this race an unpredictable affair.
As the regatta progresses over the next two days, patterns will begin to emerge, and by Saturday, the leaderboard is expected to be tightly contested. The final day of racing on Sunday could prove decisive, with matchups such as New Zealand vs USA, Italy vs Switzerland, and France vs Britain potentially determining the top spots ahead of the grand final.
The Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta promises to be a classic, offering a tantalising glimpse of what lies ahead in the 37th America’s Cup.
Racing starts each day at mid-night NZ time (until the end of September when it moves of 1am!) – but Boating NZ will be up to ensure that before Breakfast each day you have a digest of the racing action – ready for the new day.
AC37’s website will carry a live stream of the races from mid-night eacy race day.
