Havana, September 12 (RHC) – The organizing committee of the 38th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup, to be held in Naples, Italy, in 2027, announced the main changes that will govern the competition.
The rules and technical regulations sent to registered teams include changes to the race format and spending limits, according to the newspaper Marca.
The most notable change will be the mandatory inclusion of at least one woman in each participating AC75.
The idea reflects the intention of the International Sailing Federation (World Sailing) to promote female participation in its competitions.
A first step in this direction was taken during the last edition of the event, when a women’s team competition was held for the first time.
It was also revealed that the so-called cyclors, the crew members who generate power for the boat by pedaling on adapted stationary bicycles, will be eliminated.
These “cyclists” were first used in the 35th America’s Cup by Team New Zealand in Bermuda in 2017; they were banned in the 36th edition in Auckland in 2021 and authorized again in the Barcelona 2024 edition.
For the upcoming competition, they are expected to be replaced by a stored energy system (batteries), to make the competition less uneven.
Another new feature is the addition of a fifth active crew member.
Cost containment is also a key objective of the organizers, who have set a budget limit of 75 million euros for each team.
The regattas for junior and women’s teams will continue, with two AC40 boats operating in the preliminary stages.
