HAMILTON, Bermuda, Dec. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- America's Cup racing will return to New York for the first time since 1920 with the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series on May 7-8, 2016.
The New York event is one of six planned during 2016, each featuring thrilling, high-speed competition, as six America's Cup teams, with the top sailors in the world, vie for points that count towards the final competition for the 35th America's Cup in 2017.
This year, Emirates Team New Zealand's star helmsman, Peter Burling, the youngest in the fleet, led his team to the top of the standings over current America's Cup champion Jimmy Spithill's ORACLE TEAM USA, and the highly touted Land Rover BAR team led by Olympic hero Ben Ainslie.
The opening three Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series events in 2015 featured three different winners, and the 2016 calendar promises more hard-fought racing on the foiling AC45F catamarans that fly above the water.
"The New York event is going to be spectacular," said ORACLE TEAM USA skipper Jimmy Spithill. "Racing on the lower Hudson River, in front of that Manhattan skyline, will be a huge hit. It's going to be a great event for the America's Cup and a great event for New York."
Four events on the 2016 schedule have been announced to date:
Muscat, Oman – February 26-28, 2016;
New York, USA – May 6-8, 2016;
Chicago, USA – June 10-12, 2016;
Portsmouth, UK – July 22-24, 2016;
Two additional Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series events are anticipated to complete the calendar, likely in Europe in mid-September and in Asia in mid-November.
"With six events around the world in 2016 our fans will have more opportunities to enjoy America's Cup racing and follow their favorite teams and sailors as we build towards the finals in Bermuda in 2017," said Harvey Schiller, the Commercial Commissioner of the America's Cup.
The New York event is an historic milestone of sorts. America's Cup racing was held in New York harbor and environs from 1870 to 1920, representing the first 13 challenges for the oldest trophy in international sport.
In May/June 2017, the next America's Cup will be raced for in Bermuda.
About the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series New York
This event will take place from May 6-8, 2016, with official practice racing on the Friday and point-scoring races on Saturday and Sunday.
The Event Village will be in the Brookfield Place Waterfront Plaza, while the racing will be on the lower Hudson River off the Battery Park City Esplanade (between the Pier 25 basin to the north and The Battery to the south). The technical areas for teams, race management and America's Cup TV production will be based at Liberty State Park and Liberty Landing Marina, across the Hudson River in New Jersey.
Find photos HERE, and television B-Roll footage HERE.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151207/293959
SOURCE America's Cup Event Authority
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