Aug 24, 2012 6:30 AM

Gallery: America's Cup Brings Beautiful Big Cats to the Bay

Abner Kingman
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*Swedish team Artemis Racing under perfect conditions during a training session for the America's Cup World Series.* Photo: Abner Kingman
Gilles Martin-Raget
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*France's Energy Team is among 11 crews competing in the AC World Series in San Francisco.* Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Gilles Martin-Raget
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*A China Team crew member secures the boat as it is lifted into the water. The AC45 is a smaller version of the wickedly fast AC72 crews will race next year.* Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget
Gilles Martin-Raget
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*Hoisting the main wing sail on the JP Morgan BAR. The mast on the AC45 is 70.5 feet tall and the wing has an area of 915 square feet.* Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Gilles Martin-Raget
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*Luna Rossa Challenge carry sails down the dock before a long training day.* Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget
Gilles Martin-Raget
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*J.P. Morgan BAR, led by the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Ben Ainslie, flies down the Bay.* Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Gilles Martin-Raget
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*The Luna Rossa wing, damaged in a capsize during practice. It looks bad, but the carbon fiber frames of the wing can be repaired within days.* Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget
Gilles Martin-Raget
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*The wing sails are carbon fiber skeletons covered in a thin plastic film. This makes them light and easy to maintain and repair.* Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

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*Going fast and getting wet with Artemis Racing.* Photo: America's Cup
Gilles Martin-Raget
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*The AC45 catamarans are extremely light and are moved by a powerful wing sail. Crew weight is an important counterbalance in keeping the boats upright.* Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

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*Sailing the boats is a very intense, and very wet, endeavor.* Photo: America's Cup
Gilles Martin-Raget
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*The AC45 catamarans can reach around 30 knots (35 mph).* Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Abner Kingman
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*Following a capsize, the crew uses lines rigged to the boat to right themselves with help from a chase boat.* Photo: Abner Kingman
Gilles Martin-Raget
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*Despite their power, the wing sails can be de-tuned, to swing peacefully at a mooring overnight, ready for action the next day.* Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

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*America's Cup 101: A primer for beginners explaining the history of the event and the technology underpinning the wing-sail catamarans that will compete in the 34th America's Cup in San Francisco in 2013.* Video: America's Cup
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*Highlights from the final day of racing at Newport, Rhode Island, on July 1.* Video: America's Cup

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