The America’s Cup World Series is a racing circuit featuring the best sailors in the world, competing on foiling, wingsailed catamarans - an updated version of the AC45 raced in the last series.

The America’s Cup World Series is the first stage of competition in the 2017 America’s Cup and begins in the summer of 2015.

Featuring all of the America’s Cup teams racing in foiling, one-design AC45 catamarans, the circuit is an early opportunity to put points on the board that carry forward into the next stage of the competition.

Overall ranking position in the America’s Cup World Series determines the starting points score of the teams in the America's Cup Qualifiers in 2017.

All teams have been given an opportunity to host events in their home countries. The following events are so far scheduled in 2015:

• • Portsmouth, Great Britain - July 23-26, 2015
  • Gothenburg, Sweden - August 28-30, 2015
  • Hamilton, Bermuda - October 16-18, 2015

The Portsmouth event will be raced off Southsea and is not expected to have any impact on racing during Charles Stanley Cowes Classics Week, nor to hinder competitors returning to their home ports in the East at the end of the week. We are liaising with the organisers to ensure we are fully aware of each other's plans, and information affecting our competitors will be posted here.

The outline arrangements are available in a Local Notice to Mariners issued by QHM Portsmouth.