Emirates Team New Zealand says the intensity will ramp up with details of the first Preliminary Regatta, for the 37th America's Cup, announced on Friday.
Racing will take place in the historic Catalonian Port of Vilanova i la Geltrú, just 45 kilometres Southeast of Barcelona, where Team New Zealand will stage their defence of the Auld Mug next year.
The preliminary regatta will be contested over four days from September 14, providing sailing fans with the first opportunity to see the elite teams go head to head on the water.
"This is a very significant regatta on a number of levels," Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton told Newshub. "Firstly, it is the first time America's Cup teams will line up on the water since AC36."
Unlike America's Cup itself, which will be raced in purpose-built AC75s, the preliminary regatta will be raced in the fleet of AC40s, designed with the youth and women's America's Cup regattas in mind.
All six confirmed entries for the Cup will be represented, in what will be a combination of both fleet and match racing.
"The AC40s are one design, so it will give a very clear indication of how strong the competitors' sailing teams are, on a like-for-like basis relative to each other," Dalton said.
"Straight away this will put pressure on the sailors and therefore teams that don't perform at Vilanova as well as they hoped. So overall the intensity will ramp up for sure.
"Also, it will be the first time the AC40s are raced, so it will give an idea of the spectacle of racing that we will see with the youth and women's America's Cups in 2024, which will be raced in the exact same boats."
And Dalton is just as excited about the fan experience, as he is about racing.
"The Port of Vilanova i la Geltrú is perfectly set up to host the first Preliminary Event of AC37 with everything in such close proximity to the race course," he said.
"Racing will be just metres from the port entrance and prime viewing areas will be offered from the La Daurada, alongside huge public areas for a great fan village."
