The 35th edition of the America's Cup will take place in May and June next year.
Cup holders Oracle have announced a quick-fire five-week regatta that will be held in Bermuda, starting with a Louis Vuitton qualifier between France and Oracle on May 26.
Oracle will contest the challenger series as a warm-up for the America's Cup finals which begin on June 17.
Emirates Team New Zealand will also race France on day one before a giant showdown with Jimmy Spithill and Oracle on day two.
The format will see the top four challenger boats race off in a semi-final series, with the winners to contest the Louis Vuitton finals.
New Zealander Russell Coutts, chief executive of the America's Cup Event Authority, says Bermuda offers the perfect stage for the 35th contest for sport's oldest trophy.
"One thing that is certain is that nobody can predict who will come out on top," Coutts said.
"That uncertainty, especially having seen how all the teams are so closely matched, shows why interest in the America's Cup is growing so quickly worldwide."
Team USA, who won the Cup from Swiss syndicate Alinghi in 2010, came from 8-1 down in the 2013 America's Cup match in San Francisco to beat Team NZ 9-8.
(Image courtesy of America's Cup official website - https://www.americascup.com/en/event-schedule.html)
Newshub.
