Vilanova i La Geltru prepares for the first preliminary regatta of AC37

The beautiful Catalan port of Vilanova i La Geltrú is getting ready to host one of the most hotly anticipated regattas anywhere in the sailing world this year as the America's Cup comes to town between the 14th-17th September 2023 and is working closely with three vital Local Partners.

It will be the first time that the competitors for the world's oldest continually contested international sporting trophy will go head-to-head, competing in equally matched AC40 yachts that all the teams have been training on in the run up to the 37th America's Cup in Barcelona in 2024. These are the boats that will also be used for the Youth & Women's America's Cup and have proven to be the most exciting new foiling class in the world with speeds recorded, to date, in excess of 50 knots.

The town of Vilanova i La Geltrú will be abuzz with spectators and America's Cup fans, all eager to get a glimpse of the world's finest foiling sailors as they engage for the first time in both fleet races and one-on-one match racing just metres off the harbour walls. Racing will be viewed on a free-to-air, live global broadcast and through America's Cup media channels. Vilanova i La Geltrú will be the epicentre of the racing that is some of the most anticipated in the lead-up to the America's Cup itself in Barcelona in September and October 2024.

Teams from New Zealand, Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy, USA and France will contest the preliminary regatta and speaking about the event, Grant Dalton, CEO of AC37 Events, is grateful to the port of Vilanova i La Geltrú saying: "Our goal has always been to spread the positive message of the America's Cup around Catalunya and the rest of Spain, whist also engaging with fans globally."

"In selecting Vilanova i La Geltrú as the venue for the first preliminary regatta on the road to AC37 in Barcelona, we found the perfect local partners and our thanks go to Pendennis Vilanova who are providing spectacular marine facilities both on and off the water for the teams and visiting super yachts, to the impressive waterside La Daurada complex for providing the world-class AC Club hospitality facilities plus the AC media centre and to the Club Nautic de Vilanova who are the hosting yacht club and providing working space for the event organisers and officials."

"This is a major undertaking for the town of Vilanova i La Geltrú and we are very grateful for their positive engagement throughout this process – it's now our turn to repay their support by delivering world-class racing and the widest possible media and fan engagement."

Work has been underway on the delivery of the regatta since the formal announcement in March 2023 with ACE working closely with the local partners.