America's Cup - defending a challenge?

[bdh198]

I was out on the water on Saturday watching the first two races of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series in Portsmouth and was confused by the involvement of Team Oracle, the defending champions. If the Louis Vuitton Cup will decide the challenger for the America's Cup final in 2017, why are the defending champions racing in the qualifiers? If Team Oracle win the Louis Vuitton Cup who will they face in the America's Cup?

This is the first time I have followed the America's Cup, and there seems to be a complete absence of an easy to follow introduction as to how the qualifying series will work. The more I try and read up about it the more confused I become. The official web site is really unattractive and very unhelpful.

Thank you to anyone who can help me make sense of this.

 

[bedouin]

I presume the defenders are racing to get the experience. I seem to remember from the last NZ defence that the defenders were at a great disadvantage because they hadn't had the experience that the challengers had.

 

[Triassic]

My understanding is that the AC45 series during 2015 and 2016 is basically an opportunity for all the crews involved to get experience and for the huge media/publicity machine to get into gear so that all the sponsors get worthwhile exposure....

As a bonus the winner of the series, be they the defending holders or the eventual challenger, gets bonus points that they carry over in to the eventual showdown.

Quite separate to the AC45 series is the challenger selection process which will happen in Bermuda in the proper AC boats immediately before the actual defence. Obviously the USA team won't be taking part in that.

 

[Topcat47]

My understanding is that the AC45 series during 2015 and 2016 is basically an opportunity for all the crews involved to get experience and for the huge media/publicity machine to get into gear so that all the sponsors get worthwhile exposure....

As a bonus the winner of the series, be they the defending holders or the eventual challenger, gets bonus points that they carry over in to the eventual showdown.

Quite separate to the AC45 series is the challenger selection process which will happen in Bermuda in the proper AC boats immediately before the actual defence. Obviously the USA team won't be taking part in that.

Absolutely, the AC regatta series is for anyone who wants to have a go and can afford the standard AC45 foiling Cat. The Louis Vuitton cup is for the challengers to see who qualifies to race Oracle for the Americas Cup and is raced in the AC regulations full size vessels.

 

[flaming]

Absolutely, the AC regatta series is for anyone who wants to have a go and can afford the standard AC45 foiling Cat. The Louis Vuitton cup is for the challengers to see who qualifies to race Oracle for the Americas Cup and is raced in the AC regulations full size vessels.

Which I think are 48 foot vessels.

 

[Fantasie 19]

Absolutely, the AC regatta series is for anyone who wants to have a go and can afford the standard AC45 foiling Cat. The Louis Vuitton cup is for the challengers to see who qualifies to race Oracle for the Americas Cup and is raced in the AC regulations full size vessels.

Bonkers... you spend 2 years getting proficient in the 45, and then you have to switch boats for the actual race...

 

[bdh198]

Thanks for the clarification.

So if I have got this right, if Oracle win the AC45 series no team will carry any points over into the challenger selection process in Bermuda (because obviously Oracle will not be taking part in those races)?

Can teams who have not taken part in the AC45 series compete in the challenger selection races (for example Team Australia or Team Italy)?

 

[Martin_J]

A nice summary of the America's Cup Protocol here.. including a link to the full 78 page Protocol.

http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2014/06/03/rules-released-35th-americas-cup/

 

[Fantasie 19]

So in summary:

First stage... "The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series is the first stage of competition in the 2017 America’s Cup and begins in the summer of 2015. Featuring all of the America’s Cup teams racing in foiling, one-design AC45 catamarans, the circuit is an early opportunity to put points on the board that carry forward into the next stage of the competition. Overall ranking position in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series determines the starting points score of the teams in the America's Cup Qualifiers in 2017". I'm assuming Oracle is racing at this level for experience/practice/training...???

Second stage... "In 2017, all teams will compete in their new AC62 (I think they've now decided they're 48's???) catamarans. Racing begins for all teams with the America’s Cup Qualifiers where the teams are seeded - with bonus points - according to their results in the AC World Series.

Third stage... "The top challengers then go on to compete for the America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs"

The winner of this then races ORACLE in the America’s Cup Finals...

I think...

 

[Resolution]

Anyone know how the seeding for the AC Qualifiers Round Robin series works? Apart from the initial one two or three points allocated to the top AC45 finishers.

 

[Richard10002]

So what's going on at the moment is almost unrelated to the actual challenge, other than a few token points in order to include the words Americas Cup in the title.

My SWMBO truly thought this was The Americas Cup qualifying for real.

Notwithstanding the above, its obviously a serious series of races, so why not let it stand on its merits, rather than dress it up to be something its not.

Quite disappointing really,

 

[Triassic]

So if I have got this right, if Oracle win the AC45 series no team will carry any points over into the challenger selection process in Bermuda (because obviously Oracle will not be taking part in those races)?

My understanding is that the results of the AC45 series will we used for the seeding in the qualifiers AND the winning boat will carry one extra point over to the actual AC match races. This means that if team Oracle win the AC45 series they will start their defence with a one point lead. I'm not quite sure what happens if the boat that wins the series then loses out in the qualifiers and doesn't end up racing Oracle, I assume they start level?

 

[Triassic]

That will teach me....I should have read the link before posting.

The AC45 series in 2015 and 2016 provides the seeding process for the qualifying races in 2017. The qualifying races will then be in the AC62s (or whatever they decide, which is why they are not racing the final version now....) and Oracle can take part in these. The winner gets the extra point. The top four challengers from the qualifying races then go to Bermuda and fight it out for the privilege of racing Oracle in the AC match races.

I think I'll just enjoy watching it for now, there's no point trying to understand the rules as they're bound to change again!