Louis Vuitton Cup
The Louis Vuitton Cup is one of the most famous and prestigious competitions in the sport of yachting simply because of its relationship to the America's Cup. For a challenger to win the America's Cup, the challenger must first win the Louis Vuitton Cup by defeating other challengers to earn the right for a match against the defender of the Cup.
History
In 1970, for the first time in America's Cup history, multiple international challengers competed for the right to challenge the New York Yacht Club, the defender of the America's Cup (the key word being "international": in 1964, for example, two British challengers competed for the right to challenge the NYYC.)
For the 1983 America’s Cup match, Louis Vuitton offered a trophy to the winner of the challenger selection series; the idea generally credited to Bruno Trouble, a French yachtsman. The initial Louis Vuitton Cup was contested off Newport, United States, with Australia II prevailing, thereby earning the right to meet the NYYC’s defending yacht Liberty in that year’s America’s Cup.
With the exception of 1988 (a rogue challenge by New Zealand) the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup has been awarded the right to challenge the current defender for the America's Cup. During the 1992 and 1995 regattas Citizen Watch offered a trophy to the winner of the defender selection series (the Citizen Cup) as the defense’s counterpart to the Louis Vuitton Cup.
Today
Due to the large number of challengers in recent decades the Louis Vuitton Cup has had to eliminate challengers in two phases. A round-robin points accruing phase, and then a pair of semi-finals involving the top four, followed by a final between the top two. The semi-finals and finals are a best of nine races between two boats.
Since 2004 the Louis Vuitton Cup hosts 13 "Acts" of competition, with the first 3 acts not awarding points toward rankings. Some challengers do not enter the competition by the start of the acts. Rules for the current races (2005–2007) stipulate that ranking points awarded for each act of competition will increase as they get closer to the final. For acts taking place in 2005, standard points were awarded, with 11 ranking points for a first place finish, and points awarded decreasing based on placing. Acts in 2006 double the points, with 22 ranking points for first place, and the final act 13 which takes place in 2007 will award triple points, giving 33 points to the winner.
Louis Vuitton Cup winners
| Regatta | Sail | Yacht | Club | Nation | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup | -- | -- | -- | -- | Valencia, Spain |
| 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup | SUI-64 | Alinghi | Société Nautique de Genève |  Switzerland |
Auckland, New Zealand |
| 2000 Louis Vuitton Cup | ITA-45 | Luna Rossa | Yacht Club Punta Ala |  Italy |
Auckland, New Zealand |
| 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup | NZL-32 | Black Magic | Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron |  New Zealand |
San Diego, United States |
| 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup | ITA-16 | Il Moro di Venezia V | Compagnia della Vela | Italy |
San Diego, United States |
| 1988 | -- | -- | -- | -- | uncontested |
| 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup | US-55 | Stars and Stripes '87 | San Diego Yacht Club |  United States |
Fremantle, Australia |
| 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup | KA-6 | Australia II | Royal Perth Yacht Club |  Australia |
Newport, United States |
External links
- America's Cup Official Website for the 32nd America's Cup in Valencia
- CupInfo.com America's Cup News and Information for 2007