America’s Cup, what will the race courses in Barcelona look like?

The start of the America’s Cup in Barcelona is less and less away, and anticipation is growing to see the new AC 75s in a real confrontation between the buoys, on an official race course. There are, and will still be, many crosses in training in Catalan waters, but the showdown will only begin with the first official races. What will the America’s Cup race courses in Barcelona look like?

America’s Cup – The “boundaries” return

Bad news for lovers of the classic race course, virtual boundaries will return in this Cup as well, the violation of which will be grounds for a penalty for the breaking boat. There has been much discussion of the pros and cons of this formula, which certainly limits traditional tactics somewhat and turns it more into a close-quarters melee strategy in what is somewhere between a race course and a kind of “circuit.” In races with boats with very similar speeds, the spectacle could be intense, with dueling tacking and gybing accentuated by the virtual boundaries of the field. If speeds are far apart, the boundaries will still help TV production by avoiding excessive separation between boats.

Does the tactic disappear? It would be better to say that it changes, because although in an obligatory race course there are wind shifts, there is the side to prefer if you can lead upwind, or the side to choose for the aft side. In short, there are positioning choices to be made and they must be made in relation to the opponent’s moves, and this for all intents and purposes can be called tactics, although not in the classical sense of the word.

The location of the race courses along the Barcelona coastline is interesting. Teams will have their bases in Port Vell, while the race course will be placed just to the east. On some days, if the wind blows from the west or east, as is possible under certain conditions, the race course will be laid out almost parallel to the coast with the possibility of enjoying a great spectacle for the public following the races from shore. In fact, the intention is to keep the boats as close to shore as possible, weather permitting.

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America’s Cup in Barcelona – When

The “show” will begin on August 22 with the last Preliminary Regatta, where we will see all the AC 75s at work. The Louis Vuitton Cup, or the competition that will determine which challenger will go on to play for the America’s Cup against defender Team New Zealand (which will still take part in the first round robins of the LVC), will begin on August 29.

The LVC finals will be staged starting Sept. 27. From October 12 to 27, however, it will finally be time for the America’s cup match, between Team New Zealand and the designated challenger. The Youth America’s Cup will also be held from September 10 to 26, and the Women America’s Cup from September 26 to October 13, both with AC 40s.

Mauro Giuffrè