[imagesource: Luna Rossa / Prada Pirelli]

Sport doesn’t come more elite than yacht racing, and in the yachting world, the America’s Cup is king.

It’s not exactly the most straightforward competition to understand, but then again, if you managed to get a handle on how Super Rugby operated in the latter years, you should be OK.

Basically, reports Yacht Racing Life, the America’s Cup “is an international yacht racing competition between yacht clubs representing the countries in which they are located”.

The competition is named after a famous American racing schooner called ‘America’, which sailed to England in 1851 to challenge the English racing fleet.

The schooner was successful, and returned home with a trophy, which it donated to the New York Yacht Club on the condition that it should be “a perpetual Challenge Cup for friendly competition between foreign countries”.

After a number of ‘unofficial’ races, the America’s Cup became an official race in 1870, and is now recognised as the oldest competition in international sport.

The winners receive the America’s Cup trophy (pictured above), get to host the next edition, and also define the fundamental aspects of that competition.

This includes:

• when and where it will be sailed,
• what the design parameters of the boats will be,
• and other key rules around the event.

To understand how the racing works, check out this video:

Whilst the world’s best sailors compete, and it’s recognised as the pinnacle of yacht racing, the American New York Yacht Club managed to see off 24 challenges, spread over 132 years, before finally losing in 1983.

Since then, there have been 10 races, with the US team winning five times, Switzerland twice, and New Zealand three times, including the last event back in 2017.

That’s right, another sporting code that the bloody Kiwis are world-class in, despite having a population of under five million.

The 36th edition of the America’s Cup begins in earnest today, with The PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series. The winner of that series will take on the New Zealand team in the main event, starting March 6.

Find more details on the PRADA Cup here.

Let’s focus on the yacht that Emirates Team New Zealand will use for the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland:

Speed-wise the AC75 is truly remarkable, with teams already consistently sailing over 50 knots. There are rumours that the Defender Emirates Team New Zealand have broken through the 100 kilometre/hour barrier (around 54 knots) in training.

The yacht is also said to ‘fly’, which takes a little explaining, This video does the trick:

She is a beauty.

You can find more info on the teams involved in this year’s edition here.

If you’re keen to watch the events, many are streamed live on the America’s Cup official YouTube channel.

Thanks, Mike

[sources:yachtracing]