America's Cup 2010 - a brief overview

In 1851, a boat named America won the 100 Guinea Cup, the prize to the winner of a race around the Isle of Wight. The winners, members of the New York Yacht Club, donated the trophy to the Club, to be held as a ‘challenge’ trophy. Thus was born the America’s Cup, named after the boat, not the country. The America's Cup is a challenge-based competition where the winning Yacht Club makes the rules and hosts the subsequent event, often making it more difficult for the challenging Club(s) to take the Cup home.

Greater speeds than ever
This 33rd America’s Cup was raced for by two giant multihulls. The speeds of these mammoth multihulls are much greater than ever before in the history of the America’s Cup before. They are predicted to completely change the usual boat-against-boat match racing tactics. In just over ten knots of wind the multihull crews have reported speeds in excess of 25 knots.

Trimaran vs catamaran
The 33rd America's Cup was held under the strict Deed of Gift rules. It was specified that the match be sailed in yachts 90 ft by 90 ft, and so the Golden Gate Yacht Club developed their trimaran BOR (BMW Oracle Racing) 90, now USA 17, whilst the Société Nautique de Geneve have opted for a giant catamaran. The Deed of Gift Match is decided over just three races across two course types. Races 1 and 3 will be contested over a simple upwind-downwind loop totalling 40 miles, whilst Race 2 will be 39 miles long and around an equilateral triangle course comprising a 13 mile beat and two 13 miles reaches.

Best of the best
Among the Challenger and Defender crews there were many of the best sailors in the world, charged with competing with craft which have effectively brought a quantum leap in speed and technologies since the 32nd America’s Cup.

More information on the America's Cup: americascup.com

More on Alinghi: alinghi.com

More on BMW Oracle Racing: bmworacleracing.com