America's Cup Team Canada Blog

Game On! Team Canada’s Concord Pacific Racing Embarks on history with the “First ” of “Two Firsts” at the America’s Cup tomorrow morning

For the first time in the 173-year history of the America’s Cup—the world’s oldest international sporting trophy—Canadian women’s and youth teams will compete on the world’s biggest sailing stage in Barcelona, showcasing the future of the sport and breaking boundaries for gender equality and youth development in sailing.

The First of two Firsts

The Canadian youth team, led by Captain Andrew Wood, compete in the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup, starting Friday at 5am pst / 8am est and slated for this Sunday for the second set of races!

The second First begins in October

The Canada’s women’s team, led by Captain Isabella Bertold, features a crew of elite Canadian sailors, including Olympians and SailGP athletes. With extensive simulator and on-water training are poised to compete in the women’s regatta, which begins on October 5, 2024. The final will take place alongside the main America’s Cup programme on October 13.

How Racing Works

Both the Puig Women’s America’s Cup and the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup will be sailed in state-of-the-art AC40 foiling monohulls, which “fly” above the water on hydrofoils at exhilarating speeds of up to 100 kph. Each boat carries a crew of four, consisting of two helmsmen/helmswomen and two trimmers, with battery-powered systems for sail and foil control.

The racing format includes a series of fleet races followed by match race finals. Twelve teams, divided into two groups—six America’s Cup teams and six invited teams, of which Canada is one—will compete in the initial rounds. The top three teams from each group advance to a final series of four races, and the top two from this series face off in a match race final to determine the overall champion.

UniCredit Youth America’s Cup Schedule:

September 17: Qualifying Group A - 4 x races

September 20: Qualifying Group B (Canada) - 4 x races

September 21: Qualifying Group A - 4 races

September 22: Qualifying Group B (Canada) 4 x races

September 23: Top 3 teams from each group compete in the final (4 fleet races)

September 27: Match race final

Puig Women's America’s Cup Schedule:

October 5: Group A - 4 x races

October 6: Group B (Canada) 4 x races

October 8: Group A 4 x races

October 9: Group B (Canada) 4 x races

October 11: Best 3 teams from each group compete in the final (4 races)

October 13: Match race final

See below for information rules and how scoring is calculated:

The START the starting line will be marked by two geostationary buoys

  • Boats must cross the line within 3 minutes of the starting signal.

The COURSE windward - leeward, with windward and leeward gates

  • The Race Committee may shorten the course, but since they must complete at least 2 laps, they may stop the race no earlier than the downwind gate.
  • For the race to be validated the races must be completed within the following two time limits: one for the first gate (10') and one for the full course (30').
  • The winning boat must pass the first windward gate within the relevant time limit and must cross the finish line within the total time limit
  • From the moment in which the first boat has completed the course, after 5 minutes the Committee closes the finish line and the race is declared closed/finished.
  • If a boat crosses the finish line within the time limit, the race is valid. Other boats will be ranked according to their position crossing the finish line or, otherwise, according to their position at the previous gates.

PENALTIES

  • The penalized boat must “lose” 75 m from the boat indicated by the Umpires. If a penalty is assigned before the start, it must be executed within 60 seconds (but not before the start).
  • If a boat at the finish has a penalty, it will have 20 seconds/penalty added to its time at the finish.

SCORE
Position Points
1°         10
2°         7
3°         5
4°         3
5°         2
6°         1

Watch all the action live on the where races will be streamed. Follow Concord Pacific, you can watch all the action live on the America’s Cup website, where races will be streamed. Follow Concord Pacific Racing’s journey on Instagram and our official website for behind-the-scenes content and updates. Racing will also be covered on TSN.

Team Canada would not be competing without the support of Concord Green Energy, Lead Sponsors RBC and Telus and Official Sponsor Dilawri Automotive Group as well as Yacht Club of record - Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and Supporters Maximizer CRM, liv.rent and Vaikobe.