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America’s Cup World Series

The America’s Cup returns with six days of match & fleet racing on the Bay | Oct 2-7
By - posted 9/30/2012 No Comment

The America’s Cup World Series, (ACWS) which is like a pre-season race for the America’s Cup has its second round the week of October 2-7, 2012 with 45-foot catamarans racing both head-to-head (“match racing”) and as a whole fleet (“fleet racing”) in the waters just north of the Marina.

At the free America’s Cup Village on Marina Green, watch daily stage presentations include the America’s Cup Morning Show, a dock-out show (1:00 pm), live commentary during racing and a dock-in show.

The ACWS San Francisco Race Village is open daily 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

>> Where can I watch the races? There’s prime viewing from bleachers set up along the sea wall and near the St. Francis yacht club. Both sets of bleachers will be open to the public free of charge during Tuesday’s practice racing, but will be ticketed seating during race days. You can view the races for free anywhere else along the Marina or Crissy Field, or from Angel Island, though the views probably won’t be as good as the bleachers

Official America’s Cup Village
October 2-7, 2012 (10a-7p) | Marina Green
FREE Admission

All race fans in the official America’s Cup Village can enjoy the racing via the big screen, including a dock-out show in the morning, live race commentary, as well as a dock-in show including interviews with the skippers, plus sailing simulation activities (like a “net traverse” which simulates the action of working crews on a catamaran)

Tuesday October 2, 2012 – Practice Racing

10:00 America’s Cup Village opens
11:00 America’s Cup Morning Show (repeats at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00)
16:00 >> Practice Racing (until 18:00) – Bleachers should be free and open to the public (they were in August for the practice round)
18:15 Meet the Skippers
19:00 America’s Cup Village closes

Wednesday October 3, 2012 – Match Race Qualifiers

10:00 America’s Cup Village opens
11:00 America’s Cup Morning Show (repeats at 13:00)
15:00 Team introductions / commentary
16:00 >> Match Racing Qualifiers with live race commentary (until 18:00) –  Bleachers are ticketed, but free viewing from Marina
18:15 America’s Cup Dock-in Show
19:00 America’s Cup Village closes

Thursday October 4, 2012 – Match Racing Quarter Finals + Fleet Racing

10:00 America’s Cup Village opens
11:00 America’s Cup Morning Show
11:30 >> Pre-Race Fly-by of teams and introduction
12:20 >> Match Race Quarterfinals (12:20-13:00) with live race commentary
13:00 Blue Angels practice
16:45 Team introductions / commentary
17:10 >> Fleet Racing with live race commentary (until 18:20)
18:40 America’s Cup Dock-in Show
19:00 America’s Cup Village closes

Friday October 5, 2012 – Match Racing Quarter Finals + Fleet Racing 

10:00 America’s Cup Village opens
11:00 America’s Cup Morning Show
11:25 Healthy Ocean Project Show
12:30 Fleet Week air show practice (until 16:00)
16:00 Team introductions / commentary
16:00 >> Match Race Quarterfinals with live race commentary (until 16:35)
16:50 >> Fleet Racing with live race commentary (until 18:00)
18:15 America’s Cup Dock-in Show
19:00 America’s Cup Village closes

Saturday October 6, 2012 – Match Racing Semi Finals & Finals + Fleet Racing

10:00 America’s Cup Village opens
11:00 Fleet Week Parade of Ships
12:30 Fleet Week Air Show
16:00 Team introductions / commentary
16:05 >> Match Race Semifinals with live race commentary (until 16:35)
16:50 >> Fleet Racing with live race commentary (until 17:55)
18:10 >> Match Race Final (until 18:25)
18:45 America’s Cup Dock-in Show and Prizegiving (after racing)
19:00 America’s Cup Village closes

Sunday October 7, 2012 – Super Sunday Fleet Racing

10:00 America’s Cup Village opens
11:00 America’s Cup Morning Show
12:10 Fleet Week Air Show
13:45 Team introductions / commentary
13:50 >> Super Sunday Fleet Race with live race commentary (until 14:30)
14:30 Fleet Week Air Show
16:30 America’s Cup World Series Prizegiving (after racing)
19:00 America’s Cup Village closes

Got some extra cash? For a fee you can get reserved seating. There’ll also be food vendors, as well as a beer and wine garden.

America’s Cup 2012-3 Schedule

  • August 21-26, 2012 – America’s Cup World Series – 45-Foot Catamarans
  • October 2-7, 2012 – Fleet Week America’s Cup World Series – 45-Foot Catamarans
  • July 4-Sept 1, 2013 – Louis Vuitton Cup – qualifier for finals – 72-foot catamarans
  • Sept 7-22, 2013 – America’s Cup Finals – 72-Foot Catamarans