27 Nov 2020

America's Cup pre-Christmas regatta formats revealed

1:46 pm on 27 November 2020

Team New Zealand will race Italian syndicate Luna Rossa in the opening race of the America's Cup World Series regatta next month.

With each of the teams interpreting the AC75 design rule differently there are marked differences between all four boats launached so far and the rgatta will provide the first opportunity for genuine comparisons.

Team NZ trialling their new America's Cup boat Te Rehutai on the Waitemata Harbour, 2020.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The second pairing for the series which starts on December 17th sees American Magic versus INEOS Team UK.

For the first three days of the teams will contest the World Series event.

There will be four races each day with all four teams racing each other twice.

On December 20th the Christmas regatta will begin with two knock out stages, the first stage consists of two head to head match ups, the winners of each will progress to the final, with the the losers to a third and fourth race.

Each of the races is expected to last 25-30 minutes each and will be raced between 3pm and 6pm each day with the permitted wind range between 6.5 and 21 knots.

For the Challenger teams, the results from both the world series and the Christmas regatta will determine the pairings for the Challenger series which will be held over January and February.

The winner of that will take on Team New Zealand for the America's Cup starting on March 6th.