It was a dramatic day of many highs and lows in Port Vell, Barcelona, today as INEOS Britannia won the Louis Vuitton Cup, defeating Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 7-4. The British had complete control of the race for the most part as winds were remarkably consistent given the forecast. They will now go on to face Emirates Team New Zealand for the America’s Cup Match beginning October 12, in another best-of-13 series.

The breaking news of the day is that Luna Rossa co-helmsman and America’s Cup GOAT Jimmy Spithill announced he is retiring from Cup action to make way for the young guns in the sport.

We’ll have a full report in Monday’s ‘Lectronic, including interviews with Jimmy Spithill and Sir Ben Ainslie. In the meantime, here’s a snippet from the America’s Cup newsroom.

“Inches and hard yards were fought for in Barcelona today in a classic final race at the Louis Vuitton Cup, and when the dust settled from the on-water fireworks, it was INEOS Britannia that emerged as the top Challenger and secured their place in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match, where they will face the Defender Emirates Team New Zealand, with racing beginning on October 12.

“It is over 60 years since Great Britain had a yacht compete for the America’s Cup trophy in the final Match, and what INEOS Britannia has achieved here, winning against the vastly experienced challenge of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, cannot be underestimated.”

The post INEOS Britannia Defeats Italy and Jimmy Spithill Retires From Cup Racing appeared first on Latitude38.

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So far, fortunately, the predicted very active 2024 hurricane season has not lived up to expectations. That doesn’t mean people close to the storms that have erupted care about the predictions — the Grenadines were hammered early in the season by Hurricane Beryl. It’s the local predicament that matters.

In the Pacific, Hurricane John rapidly ramped up to a Category 3 storm and struck the southern Mexico coast south of Acapulco (site of last year’s devastating Hurricane Otis). It is now Tropical Storm John that is landing off the Mexican coast, continuing to bring torrential rains with life-threatening mudslides and flooding. Meanwhile, the Gulf Coast of Florida is bracing for Hurricane Helene, poised to hit tomorrow morning.

The so-called “Big Bend Coast” of Florida is somewhat lightly populated, though that doesn’t matter much to those who live there. The wind, rain and storm surge will be significant, so residents and boating interests are doing the best they can to prepare before it arrives tomorrow. Current predictions are for Helene to hit the coast as a Category 3 or 4 hurricane, meaning wind speeds from 111 mph to 156 mph. Even at the lower end, the wind combined with rain will cause severe damage to those facing the current uncertain path of the storm’s eye.

Hurricane/Tropical Storm John continues to travel along the Mexican coastline. While the winds are reduced, they’re still damaging, and forecasts predict rains of 6 inches up to an impossible-to-imagine 30 inches in isolated areas.

The post Damaging Hurricanes John and Helene Hitting the Coasts appeared first on Latitude38.

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Barcelona, Spain (September 23, 2024) – After no wind yesterday, the Youth America’s Cup was able to complete the 8-race qualifying series today for Pool A and B to finalize the six teams advancing to the next stage.

With six teams in each pool, it will be Italy, USA, and Great Britain from the America’s Cup group that will meet Sweden, Spain, and Australia from the Invited Teams group. A four race series will advance the top two for the one race, winner-take-all final.For competition details, click here.

Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the Youth America’s Cup and Women’s America’s Cup.

Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Event details: www.americascup.com/en/home

Source: ACE

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Great start of the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds. The event organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) and the J/70 class International Association has opened the scores with the dispute of the first two races programmed. With a first and a seventh, Douglas Newhouse and Jeremy Wilmot`s, USA, “Yonder” is the first leader of an overall that today has been marked by the irregularity of the fleet.

With about nine knots of wind from the northeast, the race committee blew the first starting horn just fifteen minutes late, at 11:45 am. After nearly an hour and a half of intense competition, it was Newhouse and Wilmot’s “Yonder”, from the New York Yacht Club, who took the win ahead of Douglas Rastrello’s “Good to go”, also racing under the U.S. flag representing Newport Harbor YC. Third place in this first race of the World Championship went to a Spanish team, Luis Albert’s “Patakin” from the Real Club Náutico de Palma. Results.

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by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
The Louis Vuitton Cup will select the challenger to face the defender in the 37th America’s Cup, and each of the four remaining teams has two goals during the series: improve and advance.

When the British team earned the right to select their semi-final opponent, they decided that advancing was more important, and selected the Swiss team which had been most vulnerable in the qualifying round robin stage. But would the Brits be pushed hard enough to improve?

The British had little trouble beating the Swiss on Day One and Day Two, scoring four wins in the best of 9 semi-final match. Needing one more win, the light winds of Barcelona returned for Day Three, and when the Brits fell off the foils in the only race of the day, the Swiss scored a win to stay alive.

In the other semi final match, the racing was closer between Italy and USA, but in the four races held on Day One and Day Two, the Italians found a way to win when USA couldn’t. However, similar to the Brits on Day Three, Italy made a mess of the only race to give USA their first win.

With all four teams getting a day off before the series resumes on September 18, can the teams sitting at 1-4 win four straight races to advance? The Swiss have appeared out of their element too often, and the USA admits their AC75 has handling problems. Can it all be fixed in a day? Standing by.

Viewing details – Race information – Results – Weather forecast

Following the publication of the AC37 Protocol and AC75 Class Rule on November 17, 2021, the AC75 Class Rule and AC Technical Regulations were finalized on March 17, 2022. The entry period was from December 1, 2021 until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup could be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the reveal, finally confirming Barcelona on March 30, 2022. The 37th America’s Cup begins October 12, 2024.

Teams revealed to challenge defender Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL):
• INEOS Britannia (GBR)
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI)
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA)
• NYYC American Magic (USA)
• Orient Express Racing Team (FRA)

2023-24 Preliminary Regattas
September 14-17, 2023 (AC40): Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain
November 30-December 2 (AC40): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
August 22-25, 2024 (AC75): Barcelona, Spain

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series*
August 29-September 9: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

*Team New Zealand competes in the round robin stage only, but the results of their races were not included in the challenger leaderboard.

2024 America’s Cup
October 12-27: 37th Match (Best of 13)

For competition details, click here.

Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth & Women’s America’s Cup.

Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Event details: www.americascup.com/en/home

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INEOS Britannia topped the first stage of the challenger selection series, earning the right to choose among Italy, Switzerland, and USA to be there opponent in the best of 9 Semi Finals match on September 14-19. British skipper Ben Ainslie provides this report on The Telegraph:

Obviously, it is great to have finished top of the round-robin stage of the Louis Vuitton challenger selection series. But I can assure you no one is getting carried away at Ineos Britannia. We have only just got going. Yes, we made some encouraging gains during the first stage of the challenger series, but if we are going to go all the way and win this America’s Cup — which is something I truly believe we can do — we are going to have to find the same again, and then some.

That said, I am happy with where we are at the moment. The manner in which we improved through the round robins was very encouraging. It felt as if we made some really good gains; with the set-up of a boat, with how we’re sailing it. We have got some real momentum now and that is so key in sport. You can sense it when you walk through the base. Everyone can see and feel the progress we are making and the positivity rubs off on you. When you are working as hard as our guys are, both here in Spain and back in the UK in Brackley, you need that. – Full report

Viewing details – Race information – Results – Weather forecast

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series
August 29-September 8: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

Team New Zealand competes in the round robin stage only, and the results of their races are not included in the challenger leaderboard. Races start at 14:00 CET (08:00 ET) and run until 16:30 or 17:00, depending on the schedule.

Following the publication of the AC37 Protocol and AC75 Class Rule on November 17, 2021, the AC75 Class Rule and AC Technical Regulations were finalized on March 17, 2022. The entry period was from December 1, 2021 until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup could be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the reveal, finally confirming Barcelona on March 30, 2022. The 37th America’s Cup begins October 12, 2024.

Teams revealed to challenge defender Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL):
• INEOS Britannia (GBR)
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI)
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA)
• NYYC American Magic (USA)
• Orient Express Racing Team (FRA)

2023-24 Preliminary Regattas
September 14-17, 2023 (AC40): Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain
November 30-December 2 (AC40): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
August 22-25, 2024 (AC75): Barcelona, Spain

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series
August 29-September 8: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

2024 America’s Cup
October 12-21: 37th Match (Best of 13)

For competition details, click here.

Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth & Women’s America’s Cup.

Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Event details: www.americascup.com/en/home

Source: ACE

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Just when I was looking forward to getting up early and watching the AC “racing”, the threat of 50-knot gusts and possibly even more lightning than yesterday canceled today’s sailing. Apparently, tomorrow’s forecast looks more promising.

And we didn’t know it at the time, but Luna Rosa’s  impressive win over TNZ yesterday was all for naught, as the race was officially abandoned when lightning appeared. Bad break for LR, and a lucky break for TNZ.

Clearly, the most anticipated race will be a rematch of those two…

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