With the SailGP Championship going into a 10 week break before the Grand Final events in the UAE in late November, the America’s Cup picks up the baton with the second Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta (PR2) in Naples from 24 September 2026.
The AC38 teams are racing in their AC40 yachts with both senior and youth and women teams . . . before they move into the full-on AC75 phase in May 2027. This is fortunate for those SailGP sailors who also have contracts with AC38 teams.
Several teams have been getting in some final practice, including both the Challenger of Record GB1 and the Defender ETNZ, who have crew involved in both events.
Also competing are Luna Rossa with two teams, and Tudor Team Alinghi. La Roche-Posay Racing Yeam and ARC Team USA with one team.
The PR2 event opens on Thursday 24 September with official practice racing.
Race days are 25 and 26 September, with three races each afternoon from 13:00 hrs BST in quick succession. After eight scheduled fleet races, the top two contest the match-race final, winner takes all on Sunday 27 September.
38th America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta (PR2)
Winds are expected to be at the lighter end of the scale with thermal sea breezes potentially building in the early afternoon on flat waters of the Bay of Naples.
The wind range for racing AC40 yachts as set out in the Race Conditions V2 is 7.5 knots at the lower end to 21 knots at the upper end.