America's Cup gets underway in Barcelona with Preliminary Regatta

After a long wait, it's finally here. The America's Cup is underway in Barcelona, with the first races on the water on Thursday.

An exciting three months of racing is in store for the teams and fans alike, as the 37th edition of the oldest international sports competition in the world writes a new chapter in the Catalan capital. 

From Thursday to Sunday, the teams will compete in a round-robin tournament, with the teams with the most wins facing off head-to-head in a final on Sunday. 

Switzerland beat the French in the opening race, before it was mixed emotions for the Italian team.

First, they had to abandon the second match race of the day, against New Zealand, very early in the encounter after experiencing an electrical issue, meaning they lost control of the boat. They recovered afterward to take the last race of the day against France. 

In the third match, American Magic defeated the British outfit.

This week's Preliminary Regatta won't count for the standings in the real competition, which gets underway on August 29, but it will be the first chance the teams get to learn about their own abilities on the water in a competitive environment on the Barcelona shores, as well as the first time they'll get to scout on their opponents. 

This week will be the first time that competitors will see each other in the AC75 class of yacht in over three years, as in warm-up races up to now they have only been working in the AC40. The AC75 is a much larger, heavier, and faster vessel that will be sure to have fans gripped to the action. 

Peter Burling, of defending champions New Zealand, explained at a press conference on Wednesday that the 75s "have gotten to a whole other level in this cycle."

Between competitions, the teams work on their boats to continue improving performance, and Burling says that "for sure" they've gotten faster since the last edition of the America's Cup. "The internals have changed a lot, the sails have developed."

Port Olímpic transformation

With the naming of Barcelona as the host city for the America's Cup, plans to redevelop many parts of the port area were accelerated to have them ready in time for the competition. 

This is the case for the Port Olímpic part of the city, which has been completely changed over the past year. 

Barcelona, host city

The teams have all also been living in Barcelona for over a year, working on their equipment and getting ready for this week. 

The Swiss team, Alinghi Red Bull Racing, have been here the longest as they settled in Catalonia two years ago already. Arnaud Psarofaghis, helmsman of the team, said that "the city and region really welcomed us with open arms, we feel at home here."

He is particularly excited about racing on the Catalan shores as the conditions will make for interesting challenges, he says.

"Every day the wind is different, it makes it a really interesting place to sail, but a really tricky one for every team so I think we’re going to see one of the best America’s Cups in Barcelona."

However, around 60 civil society organizations doubt the America's Cup's impact despite Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni's statement that "it will have a positive impact" and will be "the best edition" in the competition's history. "I think Barcelona locals will be proud," he said. 

Meanwhile, residents in the Barceloneta seaside district question whether the event will have a positive impact on the city as they say it is "a huge sporting event for the elite" and that it "does not have any tradition but comes with a high environmental impact," these associations claim under the group 'Plataforma No a la Copa Amèrica.'

In fact, over a year ago, the organization already said residents had felt a negative impact on their daily lives with the price increases on basic products, the rise in luxurious establishments, the increase of rent prices, and an "avalanche" of offers to buy their residences to later be rent during the competition.

Plataforma No a la Copa Amèrica doubts the economic impact and warns that in Valencia's 2007 America's Cup, the event left €370 million in losses.

Where to watch America's Cup

The America's Cup event is free to watch, and can be enjoyed from various locations in the city. 

The races can be followed with the naked eye on the shores of the city's beaches, but there will also be some fan zones set up for even an even better view.

The Race Village at Moll de la Fusta, with a capacity for 9,500 people, will be the epicenter of the fun. There, fans will find giant screens with a televised production explaining everything that's going on in the race. 

In addition, there will be food stalls and a cultural program after the racing to be enjoyed. 

In addition, two fan zones will be set up with giant screens at Barceloneta beach and at Bogatell area. 

For a more luxurious option, there are some companies offering to take enthusiasts out on a boat to watch the race from the water, or else the AC37 Hospitality Club at the Port Olímpic. 

The event is offered on television by public broadcasters TV3 and TVE, as well as local broadcaster Betevé.

The races can also be watched on the America's Cup website, Facebook page and their YouTube live broadcast.  

Regattas will also be available through Eurosport.