The America’s Cup is the oldest international trophy in sports, dating back to 1851. It is a contest between sailboat racing teams to determine who will win the America’s Cup trophy. The specific number of boats that race in each America’s Cup event can vary, but there are some general guidelines around fleet sizes.
America’s Cup Class Boats
Since 1992, there has been a class of boat specifically designed for competing in the America’s Cup. This is known as the America’s Cup Class (ACC). The ACC technical specifications are updated for each edition of the Cup to incorporate the latest technology and materials.
The ACC boats are state-of-the-art monohull racing yachts at the cutting edge of sailing and design. They are known for being extremely fast and utilizing innovative hydrofoiling technology which lifts the hull out of the water to reduce drag.
For the initial 1992 America’s Cup, the ACC class allowed 10 boats to compete. For each edition since then, the number of ACC boats has been:
| Year | # of ACC Boats |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 5 |
| 2000 | 11 |
| 2003 | 9 |
| 2007 | 12 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2017 | 6 |
As the table shows, the number of ACC boats competing in the finals has ranged from as few as 2 to as many as 12 over the years. The specific number is determined by the defending champion yacht club in collaboration with the regatta management.
Challenger Selection Series
In order to determine which team(s) will challenge the defender for the America’s Cup, a separate regatta is held called the Challenger Selection Series. This series narrows down the field of potential challengers.
Dozens of prospective syndicates from countries all over the world often enter the initial challenger series. They compete in early qualifying rounds and eliminations to ultimately determine which team(s) will advance as the Challenger.
There are typically more boats participating in the Challenger Series than make it to the finals. For example, in the 2017 challenger series held in Bermuda, 15 teams initially entered but only 6 challengers advanced to face defender Oracle Team USA in the finals.
The number of boats that participate in the challenger series has increased substantially since 1983, when just four challengers competed for the right to race defender Australia II. The growth reflects the increasing international interest in competing for this historic trophy.
J Class Boats
For the early editions of the America’s Cup held between 1851 and 1937, the races were competed in J Class yachts. These were very large sailing vessels, typically measuring 85-95 feet long.
The number of J Class boats that raced for the America’s Cup during this era was typically quite small. Most early editions only had one or two challengers racing against the single defender boat.
Here is a summary of the number of J Class boats that competed in the America’s Cup finals between 1870 and 1937:
| Year | # of J Class Boats |
|---|---|
| 1870 | 2 |
| 1881 | 2 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1887 | 2 |
| 1893 | 1 |
| 1895 | 3 |
| 1899 | 3 |
| 1901 | 3 |
| 1903 | 3 |
| 1920 | 2 |
| 1930 | 2 |
| 1934 | 2 |
| 1937 | 2 |
As shown in the table, the America’s Cup during the J Class era was primarily a two-boat competition, with only a few instances of three challengers racing against the defender.
12-Metre Class Boats
From 1958 to 1987, the 12-Metre class boats were used for the America’s Cup. The 12-Metre yachts measured approximately 65 feet long and were less expensive to build and campaign than the huge J Class boats.
This helped lead to an expansion of the number of challengers for each Cup edition. While still relatively small fields compared to today, some key 12-Metre boat fleet sizes were:
| Year | # of 12-Metre Boats |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 3 |
| 1962 | 7 |
| 1967 | 4 |
| 1970 | 5 |
| 1974 | 4 |
| 1977 | 6 |
| 1980 | 3 |
| 1983 | 4 |
| 1987 | 13 |
The 13 boats that raced in the 1987 edition marked the high point for 12-Metre participation. This was the last America’s Cup that used this class before transitioning to the ACC boats.
Conclusion
In summary, the number of boats racing in the America’s Cup finals has ranged from as few as one or two during the early J Class years up to as many as 13 in the final 12-Metre edition. Since 1992 and the introduction of the ACC class, the boat count has typically been between 2 to 12.
With the move to more affordable ACC boats designed specifically for the Cup, the fleets have grown steadily larger. The defender and challenger selection series now regularly involve dozens of boats vying for a spot in the final match.
While the total number fluctuates, recent America’s Cups since 2000 have averaged around 6 to 9 boats racing in the final series to determine who will claim the oldest trophy in international sport.
