July 4 – September 1, 2013 – Challenger Selection Series: Louis Vuitton Cup (ACCS) The Louis Vuitton Cup, the America’s Cup Challenger Series, is used as the selection series to determine who will race the Defender in the America’s Cup Finals. Scheduled for July 4 – September 1, 2013 on the San Francisco Bay, the Louis Vuitton Cup will see challengers from around the globe battle each other in a knockout series for the opportunity to compete for the America’s Cup. Significantly, 2013 marks the 30th anniversary of the first Louis Vuitton Cup, which took place in Newport, Rhode Island in 1983. It was an auspicious debut, as the winner of the first Louis Vuitton Cup, Australia II, went on to become the first challenger in the 132-history of the America’s Cup to beat the defender and take the Cup from the United States. From that beginning, it’s clear that the Louis Vuitton Cup serves dual purposes – first to determine who will advance to the America’s Cup Finals, but also to prepare the Challenger to race on level terms with the Defender. Prior to the first Louis Vuitton Cup in 1983, no challenger had ever found success in unseating the US-based defender. But following that first win by Australia II, the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup has gone on to claim the America’s Cup four out of seven times.
Sep 07 – 22, 2013 – America’s Cup Match – The 34th Defense The 34th America’s Cup brings the competition for the oldest trophy in international sport back to the United States for the first time in 18 years. And it does so in style, with exciting new boats, a new format for the racing, and television and web coverage that takes the viewer into the racing as never before. There are two new classes of boats; both will be more powerful, more demanding of the crews and faster than anything seen at the America’s Cup to date. The AC45 catamarans will be raced in the America’s Cup World Series regattas. They have been designed to give new teams an opportunity to learn wing-sailed multihulls as they design and build their own AC72 – the revolutionary catamarans that will be raced in the Louis Vuitton Cup and America’s Cup in 2013. “We believe this new format and new boat will put the America’s Cup back at the pinnacle of our sport,” said ORACLE TEAM USA CEO Russell Coutts, in announcing the changes in September 2010. “They will give equal opportunity to competitors and long-term economic stability to all teams and all commercial partners. We promised fairness and innovation and this is what we’ve delivered.” Bringing the racing to the people is a new priority. In addition to near-shore race courses for those on site, television coverage is set to be revolutionized for those further afield. Through new graphics technology, enhanced on board footage, over a dozen on board microphones as well as informed and exciting commentary, watching the story of the 34th America’s Cup unfold on TV might just be better than being there to see it in person. Similarly, the online offering will take advantage of the very latest the web has to offer to develop the characters behind the teams and bring the story alive, anytime, anywhere. In 2013, the race for the America’s Cup will reach its zenith in San Francisco, the host city of the 34th America’s Cup. The spectacular natural amphitheater of San Francisco Bay will be the site of this amazing event.