# Louis Vuitton Cup

The Louis Vuitton Cup is the name of the Challenger Selection Series sailing competition from 1983, named after its sponsor, Louis Vuitton. The winner of the competition became the challenger to compete with the defender of the America's Cup. The competition for the 2017 America's Cup changed format and name to the Louis Vuitton Challenger’s Trophy. The following series, in 2021, was named the Prada Cup after its new sponsor. In 2024 the challenger selection series will again be named after Louis Vuitton. Five out of the nine winners of the Louis Vuitton Cup competitions subsequently won the America's Cup itself.

## History

In 1970, for the first time in America's Cup history, multiple "international" challengers competed for the right to challenge the New York Yacht Club, the defender of the America's Cup (the key word being "international": in 1964, for example, two British challengers competed for the right to challenge the NYYC.)
For the 1983 America's Cup match, the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, the "Challenger of Record", contracted with New York Yacht Club member, Paul Madden, to create "The Challenger's Cup". Paul Madden then contracted with Louis Vuitton to be the first sponsor of this Cup series that led up to the main event. Louis Vuitton offered a trophy to the winner of the challenger selection series; the idea was Paul Madden's, but is generally credited to Bruno Trouble, a French yachtsman. The initial Louis Vuitton Cup was contested off Newport, United States, with Australia II prevailing, thereby earning the right to meet the NYYC’s defending yacht Liberty in that year’s America’s Cup.
With the exception of the America's Cup races in 1988 and 2010, the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup has been awarded the right to challenge the current defender for the America's Cup. During the 1992 and 1995 regattas Citizen Watch offered a trophy to the winner of the defender selection series (the Citizen Cup) as the defense’s counterpart to the Louis Vuitton cup.
Due to the large number of challengers in recent decades the Louis Vuitton Cup has had to eliminate challengers in two phases. A round-robin points accruing phase, and then a pair of semi-finals involving the top four, followed by a final between the top two. The semi-finals and finals are a best of nine races between two boats.
Between the 2004 and 2007 Cups, Louis Vuitton sponsored thirteen "acts" of competition, with the first three acts not awarding points toward rankings. Some challengers do not enter the competition by the start of the acts. Rules for the current races (2005–2007) stipulate that ranking points awarded for each act of competition will increase as they get closer to the final. For acts taking place in 2005, standard points were awarded, with 11 ranking points for a first-place finish, and points awarded decreasing based on placing. Acts in 2006 double the points, with 22 ranking points for first place, and the final act 13 which takes place in 2007 will award triple points, giving 33 points to the winner.
History shows that the Louis Vuitton Cup series enhances the chances of the challenger due to the intense racing against different opponents which improves the tactics and crew co-ordination of the winner. Differences in boat speed are becoming less and less, placing an even greater premium on reliability, superior tactics, and crewing. In the weeks leading up to the America's Cup competition, the defender has to mainly practice using in-house racing which can never be as intense as real competition.
In July 2007, Louis Vuitton announced termination of all its sponsorship activities associated with the America's Cup after 25 years of involvement, arguing the organisation of the America's Cup was taken over by business under the rule of Ernesto Bertarelli, leader of Alinghi, winner in 2003. Louis Vuitton instead sponsored the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series and Louis Vuitton Trophy.
After Oracle Racing won the America's Cup for the Golden Gate Yacht Club in the 2010 Deed-of-Gift race against Alinghi, Louis Vuitton again sponsored the challenger series for the 34th America's Cup which was held in 2013 on the San Francisco Bay.
Louis Vuitton also sponsored the heats to the 2013 and 2017 America's Cups; These "world series" were sailed in smaller 45 ft wingsail catamarans, the AC45. Participation was compulsory to take part in the Louis Vuitton Cup.

## Trophies

There have been two trophies for the Louis Vuitton Cup. Both made by London-based goldsmiths and silversmiths, Thomas Lyte. The first was unveiled in 2017 and distinctively shaped in a ‘V’ – emblematic of the Louis Vuitton brand. The trophy was handcrafted from 4mm thick sterling silver and passed through six artisans using nine different hammers to create the masterpiece.
The second trophy was presented to the press and the wider-world by Marc Alins, general manager Mediterranean at Louis Vuitton shortly before the 37th edition of the event was held in Barcelona. An updated edition featured a sterling silver base, rather than a stone plinth, resulting in a lighter, more valuable trophy. Standing at 40cm in height, it includes the Louis Vuitton name and branding via a milling process that achieved a sharp, clean brand logo. The trophy itself includes eight sails that fan around the circumference of the body, a design that replicates the boats themselves. The latest Louis Vuitton Cup also reflects the high speeds – up to 100km/h - that the competitors travel across the water.
Louis Vuitton also created a custom travel case for the trophy, similar to the bespoke trunk it created to carry the America’s Cup trophy.

## Louis Vuitton Cup results

| Rule | Year | Venue | Winning club | Winning syndicate | Losing club | Losing syndicate | Score |
| IYRU 12mR | 1983 | Newport, United States | Royal Perth Yacht Club | America's Cup Challenge '83 (Australia II), KA-6 | Royal Burnham Yacht Club | Victory Challenge (Victory '83) | 4–1 |
| IYRU 12mR | 1987 | Fremantle, Australia | San Diego Yacht Club | Sail America Foundation, US-55 | Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | New Zealand Challenge | 4–1 |
| | 1988 | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only |
| IACC | 1992 | San Diego, United States | Compagnia della Vela di Venezia | Il Moro di Venezia, ITA-16 | Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | New Zealand Challenge | 5–3 |
| IACC | 1995 | San Diego, United States | Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | Team New Zealand, NZL-32 | Southern Cross Yacht Club | One Australia | 5–1 |
| IACC | 2000 | Auckland, New Zealand | Yacht Club Punta Ala | Prada Challenge, ITA-45 | St. Francis Yacht Club | AmericaOne | 5–4 |
| IACC | 2003 | Auckland, New Zealand | Société Nautique de Genève | Alinghi, SUI-64 | Golden Gate Yacht Club | BMW Oracle | 5–1 |
| IACC | 2007 | Valencia, Spain | Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | Emirates Team New Zealand, NZL-92 | Yacht Club Italiano | Luna Rossa Challenge | 5–0 |
| | 2010 | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only | uncontested, America's Cup challenger of record only |
| AC72 | 2013 | San Francisco, United States | Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | Emirates Team New Zealand, Aotearoa | Circolo della Vela Sicilia | Luna Rossa Challenge | 7–1 |
| AC50 | 2017 | Great Sound, Bermuda | Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | Emirates Team New Zealand, New Zealand | Kungliga Svenska Segelsällskapet | Artemis Racing, Magic Blue | 5–2 |
| AC75 | 2021 | different sponsor see 2021 Prada Cup | different sponsor see 2021 Prada Cup | different sponsor see 2021 Prada Cup | different sponsor see 2021 Prada Cup | different sponsor see 2021 Prada Cup | different sponsor see 2021 Prada Cup |
| AC75 | 2024 | Barcelona, Spain | Royal Yacht Squadron | INEOS Britannia | Circolo della Vela Sicilia | Luna Rossa Challenge | 7-4 |
* indicates: won that year's America's Cup