America’s Cup: Barcelona set to undergo multi-million dollar upgrades ahead of hosting next year’s event

The 37th America's Cup will be contested in Barcelona next year. Photo / Photosport

When the America’s Cup regatta gets underway in Barcelona next year, there will be plenty of new features both on and off the water.

Barcelona will mark a first in the 172-year history of the Cup with the introduction of a women’s regatta, while the Youth America’s Cup will return after being cancelled during the last cycle due to New Zealand Government restrictions around immigration.

Both additions to the schedule will be contested on AC40 foiling monohulls, with the scaled-down model of the AC75 being another new element of this edition of the Cup.

In preparation for the event, Barcelona is set to undergo a facelift, with a reported public-private investment of more than €86m (NZ$153m) behind projects set to redevelop the area before the event. A spokesperson for the Barcelona Capital Nàutica Foundation told the Herald the 18 proposed projects are expected to be carried out over the next two years.

Team New Zealand successfully defended the Auld Mug in 2021 with a 7-3 victory over Luna Rossa and then rejected a $99 million bid from the New Zealand Government and Auckland Council to host the event before choosing Barcelona as the new host.

Many of the planned projects in Barcelona will take place in the port area as well as the waterfront city, transforming the area in time for an expected influx of spectators for the event in late 2024.

“Like any internationally significant event that will bring in numerous visitors, it has brought a boost of motivation to the city. Barcelona is carrying out various renovation projects so that the event can be held not only under the best conditions but also with the entire society as attendees.

“Both local and national administrations are activating their plans and strategies related to the coast, like the Pavelló Blau, the Blue Sports Hall, which aims to turn Barcelona’s waterfront into the city’s major new sports facility and create a large sports area focused on providing facilities for the practice of beach and water sports.”

Renovation projects were already planned for the area, but securing the America’s Cup hosting rights has seen these projects accelerated.

While the city is preparing to host the event late in 2024, the first preliminary regatta of the cycle will be held not far down the road later this year.

The local fans will get a taste of what’s to come when the primary teams of the six contending syndicates take to the water in Vilanova i la Geltrú, about 50km from Barcelona, over four days between 14-17 September. The six crews will sail on AC40s as their new AC75s are still in the process of being developed, and it will be their first opportunity to race against one another during this cycle.

Team New Zealand have been able to get the next best thing to live racing, with a two-boat testing programme as part of their campaign so far.

While the last month has been spent sailing on a renovated Te Rehutai, their Cup-winning AC75 from the last campaign, the team had been going through match racing scenarios on their two AC40s and are expected to return to that method of on-water development when Te Rehutai is shipped to Barcelona in the coming weeks.