Nearly 160 years old, the America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport. Initially a one-on-one competition between foreign teams, the America’s Cup has evolved into one of the world's leading sporting competitions – featuring the best sailors on the world’s fastest boats, the wing-sailed AC45 and AC72 catamarans.

The new America's Cup World Series begins its inaugural season in August 2011. In the summer of 2013, the 34th America's Cup begins with the Louis Vuitton Cup July 13 - September 1, followed by the America's Cup Finals September 7-22.

Plymouth is a hosting city for one of sailing's most prestigious competitions, the America's Cup. Plymouth is the second stop of the inaugural America's Cup World Series and we are the only northern European city to be part of the series, which attracts the best sailors on the world's fastest boats, the wing-sailed AC45 catamarans.

The event will attract thousands of international visitors and large crowds are expected to watch the world's best sailors competing in the spectacular natural amphitheatre of Plymouth Sound.

The America's Cup World Series teams will compete in the high tech, fast and nimble 45ft catamarans AC45s.

Visitors and Plymouth residents will be able to watch the high speed racing from the water around Plymouth Sound, and enjoy facilities on Plymouth Hoe that will include a big screen. Millbay will host a race village which will be open to the public. The World Series events provide the only opportunity to see all Americas Cup competitors racing together.

The AC World Series Plymouth will consist of four events over nine days: the Plymouth America’s Cup Open, the America’s Cup 500 Speed Trial, the America’s Cup Match Racing Championship and the America’s Cup World Series Plymouth Championship. Click Here for the Schedule

Plymouth AC Open – Held over the opening weekend, this fleet racing event will reveal what the teams are made of both in terms of tactical decision-making and pure speed. The opening weekend will feature up to four fleet races with 10 boats battling for supremacy.

AC 500 Speed Trial – On the opening Saturday, the teams will vie for the title of fastest boat through timed speed trials over a 500-metre course, pushing their wing-sailed AC45 catamarans to the limit.

Plymouth AC Match Race Championship – The third stage of the competition pits the teams in one-on-one clashes to earn a place in a final showdown on Saturday. Each day will consist of three, 20-minute fleet races to determine the top six teams, who then face off through three match races. Every day of racing produces a ranking of the full fleet. The results over the three days will determine the seeding order for the Match Race Championship.

On the final Saturday, the Match Race Championship will find the six best teams (as determined over the previous three days) battling through a Quarter Final, Semi-Final and Final to determine the Plymouth AC Match Race winner.

AC World Series Championship – This title is at stake on the final Sunday in a winner-takes-all fleet race, where all teams will have a shot at the title.

At the end of the overall 2011-2012 AC World Series, the AC World Series Champion will be crowned based on the scores from each of the final Sunday fleet races. In addition, an overall match race champion will be recognized based on the cumulative scores from each AC Match Race Championship.

Televised to expose millions more fans to the sport of high-performance sailing, the AC World Series is a regular circuit of regattas that will bring America’s Cup-level racing and experience to top international venues. At the end of each AC World Series season, a champion will be crowned. These events provide the fans the only opportunity to see all of the America’s Cup competitors racing together.

The AC World Series will be sailed in the AC45, the forerunner to the next generation of America’s Cup boats. Focused on creating more on-the-water excitement for both the teams and the fans, the AC45 wing-sailed catamaran was designed for both speed and close racing. While capable of closing speeds of over 30 mph, the AC45 remains nimble enough to handle the tight, tactical race courses planned by America’s Cup Race Management.