Our guide to understanding how points are allocated during the competition for the 35th America's Cup and how the Challenger will be decided to take on defender ORACLE TEAM USA
Current team rankings
Confused about how the points will be allocated during the fight for the 35th America’s Cup? Here is our guide to how the competition will work.
Firstly, the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series was the first stage of competition in the 35th America’s Cup.
It began in the summer 2015.
Events were held in Portsmouth, UK, Gothenburg, Sweden, Bermuda, Muscat, Oman, New York City, USA, Chicago, USA, Toulon, France and Fukuoka, Japan.
Featuring all of the America’s Cup teams racing in foiling, one-design AC45F catamarans, the circuit was 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 determine the starting points score of the teams in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers in 2017.
The Series concluded in Fukuoka, Japan in November 2016 with Land Rover BAR taking top honours and carrying 2 bonus points into the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers and ORACLE TEAM USA, the runner up, carrying 1 point.
The final rankings after the America’s Cup World Series
The ranking positions from the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series determine the seeding and bonus points for the next round – the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers.
During this stage of the competition, each team races every other competitor twice, scoring one point per win.
The top four of the five challengers then advance to the next round – the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs.
Should the winner of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers advance to the finals of the 35th America’s Cup, they will start the match with a one point advantage.
If there are ties at the end of the round robin phase of racing, the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series standings will be used as the tie breaker.
The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers are scheduled from 26 May to 3 June.
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The top four challengers from the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers will pair off in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs semi-finals.
Each Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoff round is a first-to-five series.
The winners of the two semi-final rounds will race in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoff final to determine the top challenger who will go on to compete against the Defender in the 35th America’s Cup Match.
As the Defender, ORACLE TEAM USA will not compete in any stage of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs.
The Playoff semi-finals are scheduled for 4-8 June, and the finals from 10-12 June.
Practice in Bermuda ahead of the start of the competition. Credit: © ACEA 2017 / Photo Austin Wong
The winner of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs meets the Defender, ORACLE TEAM USA, in the final, the 35th America’s Cup Match presented by Louis Vuitton.
If the team that wins the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers goes forward to race in the Match, they begin with a one-point advantage and effectively this means that the opposing team must win 8 races to win overall.
The first team to earn 7 points wins the 35th America’s Cup Match, and takes home the oldest trophy in international sport.
The Match is scheduled for 17-18 June and 24-25 June. If necessary, racing will continue on 26-27 June.