RACING FORMAT Q&A – THE EASY GUIDE TO SARDINIA
The Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup cycle begins with the first Preliminary Regatta to be held in Sardinia off the port city of Cagliari from the 21st to the 24th May 2026.
Below is all you need to know whether you are a die-hard fand or completely new to America’s Cup regattas. It promises to be a stand-out regatta on the beautiful Bay of Angels with vantage points all along the waterfront and a lively, and free, Regatta Village for everyone to enjoy and get close to the action.
When?
The official Practice Day will be on Thursday 21st May 2026 so expect to see all the yachts competing for races that do not count to the overall regatta but allow the race officials, led by Regatta Director Iain Murray, to refine their processes ahead of racing beginning in earnest.
Friday 22nd May 2026: Three fleet races are planned, starting at 3pm CEST and finishing at 5pm CEST.
Saturday 23rd May 2026: Three fleet races are planned, starting at 3pm CEST and finishing at 5pm CEST.
Sunday 24th May 2026: Two fleet races are planned. At the end of the fleet racing series, the top two boats on points will advance to a Match Race (one against one) to decide the winner.
What is a fleet race?
A ‘fleet’ race is where all the teams start together and compete against each other. In Sardinia there will be eight AC40’s on the racecourse vying for position. (See picture above)
What is a Match Race?
The tradition in the America’s Cup since 1871 (the second challenge) has been for boats to race one against one to decide the winner. This is called a ‘Match Race’ and when the fleet racing series is concluded, the top two boats will go head-to-head to decide the overall winner. One race. One winner. (See picture above)
How is the fleet racing scored?
This is a high scoring regatta, with the winner of each race getting 10 points, second getting 9 points, third getting 8 points and so on, through to the eighth placed boat scoring three points. This puts a premium on consistency. One bad race and a team could be struggling.
Who is racing?
Five of the America’s Cup teams are racing with three of those teams fielding two boats – Emirates Team New Zealand, GB1 and Luna Rossa. Uniquely for this America’s Cup, teams are allowed to field two boats in the Preliminary Regattas contested in AC40 yachts. One of the two boats must be crewed by Youth & Women sailors on an equal 50/50 basis. La Roche-Posay Racing Team and Tudor Team Alinghi will only field one AC40 yacht in the Sardinia regatta, making a fleet of eight.
What boats are going to be racing?
The AC40 is a foiling monohull (single hull) yacht that is capable of speeds in excess of 45 knots (51.7 mph) and crewed by four sailors. All of the yachts are fully equalised so unlike the America’s Cup AC75 yachts where technologies can vary, the AC40 is all about the sailors and how they sail and position their boats around the racecourse. All of the AC40s will be operating on auto-pilot for flight control, so again, no advantage can be gained between the yachts in terms of ride height.
How are races started?
For fleet racing, the Regatta Director gives a signal at 3 minutes before the start. He gives another (the Preparatory Signal) at 2 minutes and 10 seconds. The teams all line up for the best position and when the clock ticks to Zero, the race begins.
What is the course and how long do the races last?
Typically, races last for around 22 minutes and the Regatta Director adjust the size of the course to ensure the duration. In light winds, this means the course will be shorter, and conversely in heavier winds, the course will be longer. Usually, the individual legs are around 1.2-1.5 miles long.
How can I watch the racing?
The main activation is in the free-to-enter Race Village which will contain a main stage and giant screens but doesn’t have a direct view of the racecourse. From the city and all along the waterfront up to the Lazzaretto di Cagliari will be the AC Viewing Promenade with views out towards the racecourse and a large screen where there will be sailing activities managed by the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV), including Alessandra Sensini’s Foil Academy and the Para Sailing Academy for sailing with disabilities.
Is the racing being broadcast?
Yes, the event has partnered with broadcasters in many territories including RAI, Italy's public national broadcaster, and the racing will go live at 3:00 pm (15:00 CEST). You can also catch it live on both the official America’s Cup Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as www.americascup.com. If you missed the races or want to relive the action, full replays are available immediately after the racing finishes.
I have a boat and would like to watch the action from the water. What do I need to do?
An online registration will soon open and all spectator boats must register with their personal name, boat name, email address and mobile number. We will update via both WhatsApp and email throughout the regatta. There will be 11 marshalling boats plus other On Water Operations boats that can assist if needed, and on the course areas we will use numbered boundary marks and then define areas by numbers for various different sizes of spectator boats. Primary communications will be by VHF, WhatsApp and email. Details to follow.
