Normally the domain of slow-moving water taxis and tour boats, Lake Michigan off of Navy Pier will be home this weekend to super-fast sailboats as Chicago welcomes America’s Cup racing. The events begin Friday and races take place Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for weekend races start at $35 but watching the event for free is possible nearby. Winners of the race earn points toward the final America’s Cup race next summer in Bermuda. Here is how it works and key details. More info here.
The basics
- When: Races take place 1:30-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (practice races at the same time Friday). Navy Pier section opens at noon Friday, and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
- Where: The course envelops Navy Pier inside the breakwall. The ticketed area (Alvalle Race Village) and grandstands are on the east end of the pier.
- Tickets: Weekend pass, $59 adults, $29 kids; Friday pass, $19 adults, $5 kids; Saturday or Sunday day pass, $35 adults, $19 kids. Tickets for viewing on tour boats range from $34.95 to $249.90. Passes for people to watch from their own boats and groups are also available for a fee.
- Best places to watch for free: Along the south edge of Navy Pier or along the lakefront in Grant Park and the museum campus.
- Getting there: CTA will run longer trains along the Red, Blue, Brown, Orange and Pink lines Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Also, the Nos. 29, 65, 66 and 124 buses stop at Navy Pier. Water taxis will also be running and Divvy will have valet service. Navy Pier parking is $28.
The teams
There are six teams each representing a country. Artemis Racing (Sweden), Emirates Team New Zealand, Groupama Team France, Land Rover Bar (Great Britain), Oracle Team USA and Softbank Team Japan.
The race
There are three races each day where all six boats will race along a course. The course will be changed by race officials acccording to how the wind is blowing and how they want to challenge the racers. Boats will have to navigate around a number of 18-by-8-foot buoys before crossing the finish line. The best finisher of the three races gets 10 points, second, 9 points, third, 8 points, down to 4 points for sixth place for each race. Sunday races are worth twice as many points. There are three races a day on Saturday and Sunday.
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Spectator boat area
Ticketed
area
Finish
Navy Pier
Start
For each race boats maneuver around two to six buoys placed by race directors inside the boundary.
Race
boundary
Spectator boat area
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Spectator boat area
Ticketed
area
Finish
Navy Pier
Start
Race
boundary
Spectator boat area
For each race boats maneuver around two to six buoys placed by race directors inside the boundary.
The America's Cup
Teams collect points for where they finish and have built up point totals at a series of events that began last year. The teams with the most points get a scoring advantage enroute to the final races in Bermuda in 2017. The America’s Cup started in 1851 and the defenders are the U.S. team, Team Oracle.
The boats
The catamarans (boats with twin hulls) race atop foils, appearing to float out of the water. The carbon fiber sails are like airplane wings. The boats can speed up to 35 knots, or 40 mph, the often-unobserved speed limit on Lake Shore Drive.
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Mast
Carries sails
Wing
Takes place of conventional sail, 70-foot-tall, jointed design provides lift similar to an airplane
Jib
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Gennaker
Tiller
Used to turn rudders
Bowsprit
Hull
Rudders
Width
23 feet
Crew: 5
Length:
45 feet
Trampoline
Daggerfoil
Retractable keel provides lift to raise the boat out of the water
Mesh between hulls for crew to walk on
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Wing
Takes place of conventional sail, 70-foot-tall, jointed design provides lift similar to an airplane
Mast
Carries sails
Gennaker
Tiller
Bowsprit
Jib
Used to turn rudders
Hull
Rudders
Trampoline
Daggerfoil
Mesh between hulls for crew to walk on
Retractable keel provides lift to raise the boat out of the water
Width: 23 feet
Length: 45 feet
Crew: 5
Sources: America’s Cup, city of Chicago, Tribune reporting
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