While the actually America's Cup continues to be plagued by legal issues, the rest of the sailing world has decided to start a new world circuit for America's Cup Class yachts.
The Louis Vuitton World Series has been created while the America's Cup is locked in the protracted court battle between Oracle and Alinghi.
The circuit will start in Nice in November, and moves to Auckland in March before heading to Italy in May, with more venues to come.
Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton says the series is based on the successful regatta held in Auckland earlier this year and it fills a gap for the rest of the syndicates who at the moment have nothing to do.
The format will have 10 teams racing one-on-one in a round-robin series before the top two go head-to-head in a final.
Eight entries have so far been confirmed for the Nice regatta including Team New Zealand, Oracle, the K-Challenge and Mascalzone Latino from the last America's Cup.
