There is just 100 days until the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series returns to Portsmouth (21st -24th July).
First and foremost the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series is all about the fastest foiling boats racing just metres away from the shore – providing an adrenaline fuelled spectacle, with the world’s best sailors fighting it out in short, sharp races that will have spectators on the edge of the seats.
Last year huge crowds turned out to watch Sir Ben Ainslie’s home team Land Rover BAR take victory on UK waters. In 2015 many of the teams had only just launched their foiling AC45 catamarans and Sir Ben had got to grips with this challenging boat quicker than his international rivals. However, this year’s event in Portsmouth will be the seventh event on the circuit and the level of competition has stepped up a few gears since last summer.
Land Rover BAR’s sailor Paul Campbell-James said:
“This time around everyone’s had plenty of time in the boats, so the standard of boat handling should be a lot closer by the time we get to Portsmouth, and there will probably not be such big differences between the speed of the boats. As we’ve seen for most of this year, any team can win any race.
“You’ve got a lot of Brits across the teams which is great for the home crowd Obviously our boat is full of Brits, then there’s Iain Percy on Artemis Racing and Chris Draper on Softbank Team Japan. Anyone can have their day, you’ve only got to look at the scoreboard to see that Emirates Team New Zealand lead with Oracle Team USA just in front of us. The Japanese and French teams are definitely getting better, and you wouldn’t bet against any team”.
It’s not just about the sailing: off the water there is a packed 3-day public programme of entertainment to enthral all the family, including 3 thrilling aerobatic displays. To mark the 100 days the final aerobatic display has been announced with the Blades Display Team flying on Saturday 23rd July, with four high-performance planes flown by former RAF fast-jet pilots performing a routine that includes over 30 manoeuvres and features plenty of close-crosses and heart-stopping dives. The Blades join The Red Arrows, who are bringing their distinctive squadron of 9 red Hawk jets on Friday 22nd July. On Sunday 24th July it’s the turn of the Red Bull Matadors to wow the crowds, as they twist and turn at speeds of up to 250mph in a series of loops, dives and spectacular smoke displays.
Spectators can join the action on land in the new Race Village, home of a special Kids Zone, Tech Zone and Team Zone with lots of interactive activities for all ages, and the chance to learn more about the America’s Cup and the incredible technology behind it.
Event Director Leslie Greenhalgh comments:
“We’re really excited about our new Race Village for 2016, which is going to include lots of hands-on activities as well as live commentary and big screen coverage of all the racing.
“The teams are going to be docking in and out close to the spectator area, and we’ll be getting the sailors up on stage to hear their reactions straight after racing. There’s going to be a fantastic atmosphere with supporters cheering on our home team and we want to give them a great send-off before they head to Bermuda in 2017.”
This year tickets start from £25 per person, with 6-15 year olds half price and under-5s going free. Last year’s sell-out Premier Grandstand is once again booking fast (only Friday and a small number of Sunday seats remain) while new this year is the Sailors Lounge, an exclusive area with special guest speakers giving some special insights into the competition. Each Sailors Lounge ticket also includes a Grandstand seat to watch all the action.
For all info on tickets visit www.lvacwsportsmouth.com/tickets.
