Ainslie set to begin bid for America's Cup glory

Ben Ainslie's Ineos Britannia squad are group to commencement their bid to go nan first British unit to triumph nan America's Cup.

After almost 3 years of meticulous readying and testing, six teams will title their caller AC75 boats against each different for nan first clip connected Thursday successful nan last preliminary regatta.

The four-day arena takes spot wrong show of nan larboard area of Barcelona, nan big metropolis for nan 37th America's Cup., external

The title originates successful earnest connected 29 August, pinch a bid of races to determine which vessel will return connected defending champions New Zealand for nan trophy successful October.

Four-time Olympic sailing champion Ainslie is nan skipper and main executive serviceman of nan Britannia team,, external which is backed by billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Group.

They person worked pinch nan Mercedes Formula 1 squad to create their boat, and pinch nan Ineos Grenadiers cycling squad to thief nan unit scope their beingness peak.

First held astir nan Isle of Wight successful 1851, nan America's Cup is nan world's oldest sporting event.

Here is our guideline to nan 37th edition, which includes a women's bid for nan first clip successful nan competition's 173-year history.

Team New Zealand automatically suffice for nan America's Cup last lucifer having won nan trophy - known arsenic nan Auld Mug - successful 2021.

The British squad will return connected rivals from Switzerland (Alinghi Red Bull Racing), Italy (Luna Rossa), nan United States (NYYC American Magic) and France (Orient Express Racing Team) successful nan Challenger Selection Series starring up to nan last series.

Known arsenic nan Louis Vuitton Cup, location are 3 competitions from 29 August to 7 October:

• Races commencement astatine 13:00 BST and reserve dates are scheduled if required. You tin watch nan action unrecorded connected TNT Sports.

Ineos Britannia person enlisted nan thief of engineering experts astatine nan Mercedes Formula 1 squad successful Brackley, Northamptonshire successful a bid to find a method advantage complete their rivals.

The AC75, aliases America's Cup 75, is simply a 75ft foiling title vessel pinch 1 carbon-fibre hull (a monohull alternatively of catamaran aliases trimaran) and has been described arsenic for illustration a "large windsurfing committee pinch towering sails" by Sailing World., external

The AC75s - which person sails up to 26.5m precocious - person extendable hydrofoil wings which tin assistance nan hull up and alteration nan boats to skim nan aboveground of nan h2o truthful they look for illustration they are flying.

This helps nan boats to scope exhilarating speeds of much than 50 knots (57.5mph), contempt weighing astir 6.5 tonnes.

But make a correction and nan boats could capsize.

Fast starts are key, title strategies and upwind conditions will each play their part, but it could beryllium quality effort which determines who wins nan America's Cup.

Each vessel has 8 unit members, reduced from 11 past time, pinch 2 helmsmen and 2 sail trimmers connected different sides.

Joining Ainslie arsenic co-helm will beryllium Olympic golden medallist Dylan Fletcher, who won nan 49er people astatine Tokyo 2020, while Leigh McMillan and Bleddyn Mon are nan trimmers.

The different 4 sailors connected nan vessel supply nan hydraulic powerfulness to trim nan sails by pedalling fixed bikes fixed wrong nan hull.

Four of nan 9 "cycling sailors" successful nan Britannia squad person an Olympic rowing inheritance - including 2016 golden medallist Matt Gotrel and Tokyo metallic medallist Harry Leask.

Known arsenic "cyclors", they person been put done their paces connected barren onshore by Grenadiers’ apical cyclists to build their endurance levels.

Double Olympic golden medallist Giles Scott is nan team's caput of sailing.

There is besides a large onshore squad including sailmakers, engineers, package technicians and moreover meteorologists.

It is estimated that nan mean America’s Cup run costs astir £100m.

Ainslie won medals astatine 5 consecutive Olympics from 1996 onwards, including golden astatine 4 consecutive Games from 2000 to 2012.

Competing initially successful nan Laser category, he switched to nan larger Finn boats and won 9 World Championship titles crossed some classes.

Since winning golden astatine London 2012, Ainslie's extremity has been to declare nan America's Cup for Great Britain.

He group up his ain British squad to compete successful nan America's Cup World Series successful 2012-2013 pinch nan purpose of gaining acquisition for a afloat situation successful 2017.

Ainslie went connected to triumph nan Auld Mug successful 2013, utilizing each his tactical nous to move astir Team Oracle USA's fortunes successful spectacular style.

His 2 consequent attempts successful a British vessel person ended successful disappointment.

In 2017, Ainslie's Land Rover BAR squad were knocked retired successful nan semi-finals.

In nan Covid-hit 2021 campaign, his Ineos Team UK won nan round-robin shape but mislaid 7-1 to Luna Rossa successful nan last action title series.

Women person competed successful nan America's Cup earlier - astir notably American Dawn Riley, who has sailed successful nan title 3 times and was squad head of nan French introduction successful 2007 - but person ne'er had a standalone series.

The inaugural Women’s America’s Cup takes spot successful AC40 boats - a smaller type of nan AC75 - from 5-13 October successful Barcelona.

Great Britain's Athena Pathway will beryllium 1 of 12 teams to commencement nan qualification bid from 5-9 October.

Hannah Mills, Britain's astir successful female Olympic sailor - pinch 2 golds and a metallic - leads nan 12-strong British squad.

The 36-year-old from Wales has assembled a squad afloat of Olympic and world medallists, including her erstwhile partner Saskia Clark and Paris 2024 kite sailing golden medallist Ellie Aldridge.

They will dream to beforehand to nan last connected 11 October, and from location scope nan lucifer title last connected 13 October.

Great Britain are besides represented successful nan Youth America’s Cup, taking spot from 17-26 September.