The America's Cup has landed in Hampshire as excitement builds ahead of the World Series regatta in Portsmouth.
Lymington's Sir Ben Ainslie, and crew, are hoping to bring the oldest trophy in world sport back to these shores and become the first British team to win the America's Cup in its 164 year history.
Competitive racing takes place on Saturday and Sunday, with practise on the water happening tomorrow.
The World Series events, of which there will be up to nine, will give the six teams an opportunity to get a two-point head start for the America's Cup Challenger Series, which is another qualifying round to the final.
Above: Marines escort the trophy to the fanzone joined by World Series event chairman Sir Keith Mills.
Ainslie's Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) will be hoping to go head-to-head with Team Oracle USA, who the 38-year-old won with in 2013, in Bermuda in 2017 at the final stage of the event.
The first stage of the quest begins on Saturday, with much fanfare surrounding it.
A group of Royal Marines dropped the trophy off at the fanzone in Portsmouth as the four-day event kicked off.
Above: The cup in Portsmouth's Historical Dockyard in front of HMS Warrior.
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