On Thursday 22nd August racing got underway at the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta and Barcelona came alive with the official opening of the FREE ENTRY Official Race Village and Fanzones. The centre of Barcelona has become the place to be as Formula 1 yachts compete head to head for the first time in a regatta series.
Excitement has been building among the teams for some time now, all eager to test themselves against their rivals after three years of design, testing, training and development.
The action on the water promises to be exceptional and many predict this will be the closest America’s Cup in living history. Additionally, on land, spectators can watch the action live and on replay at the spectacular Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Race Village and free-to-access Fanzones that have sprung up around Port Vell, La Barceloneta and Bogatell Beach.
Race Village and the America’s Cup Fanzone
Ivo Rovira / Copa America
The 37th edition of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup aims to be the most accessible event and the Official Race Village along the Moll de La Fusta, which opens every day at midday, is the heart of the event’s hospitality offering.
Entry to the Race Village and Fan Zones is free, although there will be crowd control measures in place at peak times, the official Race Village covers some 25,000 square metres with the capacity to accommodate up to 9,000 spectators at maximum capacity.
Five super-large giant screens will broadcast the racing action on the water and a selection of sailors who have competed that day will take to the main stage after racing between 18:00 and 19:00 to appear on stage and talk about what happened on the water that day from their perspective – the ultimate chance to get up close and personal with sailing’s superstars.
Race Village and the America’s Cup Fanzone
Ivo Rovira / Copa America
There are plenty of activations with event sponsors in the Race Village and Fanzones, including Capgemini with a real AC40 simulator and a photo booth where people can take a photograph and keep a memento of their visit.
Acciona presents a virtual reality headset that will take users through an experience on a hydrogen-powered America’s Cup boat, as well as explaining the history of what Acciona Energía does and how its values align with those of the America’s Cup around sustainability and a cleaner future.
Yanmar will have a photocall with the iconic Yanmar mascots, Yanbo & Marbo, as well as a tasting of Japanese Sake from an exclusive bottle that has been created exclusively for this edition of the America’s Cup.
Coca-Cola has installed interactive games around various Coca-Cola brands such as Fanta, Monster and Fuze tea, and also highlights to guests its sustainability measures and its Mares Circulares project. Inside the stand there is a drinks bar open to all.
Race Village and the America’s Cup Fanzone
Ivo Rovira / Copa America
Explora, for its part, offers visitors a preview of the luxury experiences offered on an Explora Journey boat, always following its motto ‘Sail Unique’, as well as a replica of its boat inside the stand.
Estrella Damm features a two-story structure with the largest drinks bar in the Race Village on the ground floor and an upstairs lounge area for Damm guests only, overlooking the main stage area.
Agbar will explain about drinking water and the measures they are taking to guarantee the conservation and protection of Barcelona’s water sources, while Cupra will exhibit two Cupra car models and a giant screen where fans can follow the races.
Their stand also contains a cyclor simulator where the public can measure the watts they create over a 30-second period against what a real AC75 cyclor achieves. There is also the opportunity to customise Cupra x AC37 merchandise and the chance to purchase Cupra x AC37 Club merchandise.
UniCredit’s activation includes a 360-degree camera where fans can take photos and videos as the camera rotates around them. It also includes information about the UniCredit Youth Copa America and AC40.
Race Village and the America’s Cup Fanzone
Ivo Rovira / Copa America
Official Timekeeper Omega has a timeline of Omega’s history with Emirates Team New Zealand and the America’s Cup, as well as eight different clocks around the Race Village.
Isdin will have two cars positioned at both entrances to the Race Village to provide the important sun protection for fans.
Louis Vuitton, sponsor of the Louis Vuitton Regatta Preliminary, the Louis Vuitton Cup and the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, has set up a kiosk where it will sell Guides to the city of Barcelona, as well as other books and guides produced by Louis Vuitton.
The Official Race Village and Fanzones aim to satisfy all tastes, from renowned chefs such as Nandu Jubany, Jordi Esteve (Nectari) and Albert Raurich (Dos Pebrots), to award-winning restaurants such as La Mundana, Per Feina or Babula.
There are also local projects that stand out for their balance between tradition and modernity, such as Los Tortíllez, Rooster & Bubbles or Bar Pimentel. There are also culinary offerings born in the city that, based on a more informal comfort food concept, have managed to attract the general public – such as VICIO, Can Pizza, Kao Street, Fat Barbies, Tope By Hoxton, Rollo’s or Trikini. There are also initiatives that offer an ecological and healthy menu, such as Enlagloria, Funky Bakers or Manioca Gluten Free.
Race Village and the America’s Cup Fanzone
Ivo Rovira / Copa America
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There’s also plenty to see around the Official Race Village with around ten exhibitors displaying their wares, an Official Shop where you can buy a wide selection of team and event merchandise and memorabilia, plus a fascinating learning corner explaining the America’s Cup, its history and unique place as the world’s oldest international sporting trophy.
One of the most interesting activities is the incorporation of a Grill Zone in the Official Race Village at Moll de la Fusta. A local project that seeks excellence in slow cooking, the Grilling Zone offers a menu that changes according to the market throughout the competition with an offer of fresh products, grilled at the moment by the BAKKIU masters.
There will be fresh fish and seafood from the Barcelona Fishermen’s Guild, a collaboration that unites the world of nautical fishing with the authentic flavours of fishing in Barcelona, promoting culture and respect for the marine environment and the maritime tradition of the city. In addition, there will be options for dishes with meat and vegetables offered by the Mercat de la Barceloneta with the aim of promoting local commerce.
Also located in the Official Race Village is an area dedicated to oysters by Amélie, a French oyster ‘maison’ that relies on the ‘savoir-faire’ of the best artisans who raise and select exceptional oysters praised by prime ministers, chefs and the most demanding and exquisite palates.
Race Village and the America’s Cup Fanzone
Ivo Rovira / Copa America
Over the weekend of 24 and 25 August, visitors to the Official Race Village will be able to dance the night away to special performances by local DJs until 11pm, but remember not to miss the official Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta Prize Giving taking place on the main stage between 1830 and 1930 on Sunday 25 August.
In addition to the Official Race Village, the organisers of the 37th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup have installed Official Fanzones in Plaça del Mar and Bogatell. These allow a direct view of the race area and the action on the water with giant screens that are activated when the Race Village stage show begins and allow spectators to watch all the action once race day gets underway.
The fabulous Fanzones are also free to enter and opening times for displays, food and entertainment vary from the Official Race Village with the Plaça del Mar and Bogatell Fanzones open from midday to 8pm.
A very special ‘After Race Bogatell’ has also been created to offer a fun and festive post-race meeting point to attract racegoers to the area during race weekends. A programme will showcase the wide variety of the DJ scene in Barcelona with a rotation of artists from complementary styles performing.
Spectators may also wish to visit the Port Olímpic viewing area, which overlooks the bases of the UniCredit Youth and Puig Women teams and is located at the northern end of the race area, with an excellent view of the start and race action around the turn marks at that end.
Race Village and the America’s Cup Fanzone
Ivo Rovira / Copa America
The Fanzone in the Plaza del Mar covers some 4,000 square metres and can seat 3,000 spectators, while the Bogatell area is slightly smaller, with a total surface area of around 3,000 square metres and a capacity of 2,000 spectators.
The 37th edition of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup is coming to life in beautiful Barcelona as the centrepiece of a stunning summer of sailing from Port Vell. All eyes of the sailing world and an expected global audience of some 1.5 billion will be focused on the stunning waters of La Barceloneta. Come and enjoy the 37th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup – it promises to be the greatest spectacle on earth.
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