America's Cup World Series Auckland and PRADA Christmas Race format announced
Every stage of the 36th America's Cup contest will be live on Sky Sports. The PRADA America's Cup World Series Auckland and PRADA Christmas Race will be the first time teams compete against each other in a live race situation.
Tuesday 1 December 2020 10:42, UK
The format for the PRADA America's Cup World Series Auckland and the PRADA Christmas Race has been announced, with all of the action starting on December 17, live on Sky Sports.
It will be the first time that Emirates Team New Zealand, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, INEOS TEAM UK and American Magic will face each other.
The four outfits have all been training in Auckland for some time, however, the America's Cup race regulations mean that they have not been allowed to face-off against each other in training.
Shortly, all four will take to the Waitemata Harbour and the Hauraki Gulf over four days.
It will be the only time that all three challengers - Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, INEOS TEAM UK and American Magic - are able to compete against the defender of the America's Cup.
The opening race of this warm-up series, the PRADA America's Cup World Series Auckland and PRADA Christmas Race, will feature Emirates Team New Zealand taking on Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team. The second pairing pitches INEOS TEAM UK against American Magic.
For the first three days, live on Sky Sports, there will be four races per day in a round robin competition. All of teams will race against each other twice.
On day four, the PRADA Christmas Race will take place, and that will comprise of two knockout stages. The course will be communicated by the race management on each race day, dependent on the wind direction, intensity and tides.
For the three Challengers - Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, INEOS TEAM UK and American Magic - the results from these races will determine the pairings for the next stage in their bid to become the final challenger of Emirates Team New Zealand.
The PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series will take place in January and February and only the winner will make it to the final America's Cup match in March 2021.
Watch every moment of the America's Cup challenge, live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts with the America's Cup World Series on December 17.
