Leave it to the Swiss to try to reinvigorate and reinvent the America's Cup.

The 32nd America's Cup
Returning to Europe for the first time in over 150-years, the programme for
the 32nd America's Cup reflects the importance of this occasion.

There is an ambitious four-year schedule of regattas commencing in 2004,
each one a distinct Act in the drama of the 32nd America's Cup. The climax
will be the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America's Cup Match itself in 2007.

Never before has the America's Cup consisted of such an ambitious programme.
For the first time, the America's Cup season consists of more than just the
Louis Vuitton Cup and the America's Cup Match.

These opening Acts will be a mixture of fleet and match races in a variety
of venues, and open to all.

This concept of a series of Acts is a big evolution for the America's Cup.
In the modern era, post 1958, the gap between competitions has been as high
as five years; a situation described by one notable Cup sailor as being
"rather a long time between drinks."

In an effort to make America's Cup racing a more regular feature on the
sailing calendar, the series of preliminary Acts has been developed to
ensure there is America's Cup competition in each year leading up to the
2007 Match. These Acts allow the teams to measure themselves alongside their
fellow competitors at each event, and keep race fans firmly focused on
America's Cup racing.

Each successive Act will take on increasing importance as the Match draws
nearer, and each is expected to be a ranking tool for the early rounds of
the Louis Vuitton Cup in 2007.

What we currently think of as the America's Cup - the Louis Vuitton Cup, and
the Match itself - will be much shorter than what we've experienced in the
recent past. While these events were spread across five months over the past
four America's Cup cycles, they will be concentrated over just three months
in 2007, a short, sharp, intense period of racing.

Overall, the new schedule represents an important evolution for the
America's Cup. While the Cup season itself is much shorter, the leading Acts
ensure meaningful, dramatic, America's Cup racing takes place each year, and
allows the America's Cup to go 'on tour', visiting different venues, and
bringing the excitement and spectacle of this wonderful event to new
audiences.

In 2007, the final Act will be an opening Fleet race, for all the
competitors of the 32nd America's Cup. After that, the Challengers will
square off in the Louis Vuitton Cup, to determine who will race Team Alinghi
in the 32nd America's Cup Match.

Read the rest of the story at:
http://www.americascup.com/en/americ...cial/index.php