One of the most fiercely competitive and sought after trophies in all of sport is the America’s Cup, the international sailing competition that got underway last week in San Francisco with the Louis Vuitton Cup, America’s Cup Challenger Series that leads to the America’s Cup Finals in September.
Four teams are contesting the 2013 America’s Cup: defending champ ORACLE TEAM USA. Emirates Team New Zealand, Luna Rossa Challenge, and Artemis Racing. They are all sailing in AC72 wing sail catamarans.
The America’s Cup Finals will match the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup against ORACLE TEAM USA.
Newport Beach Indy photographer Jim Collins is in San Francisco covering the Louis Vuitton Cup, and will be filing periodic photo reports.
Louis Vuitton Cup racers fly state-of-the-art catamarans with 72 foot long hulls that appear airborne. Dressing for the occasion, the Italian team Luna Rossa debuted the latest in sailing suits–sleek silver Prada designs that look aeronautical. The lightweight but strong design provides mobility for the athletes as wells as protection from the chilly waters of San Francisco Bay and built-in flotation.
