Britain Tops Leaderboard as France Exits America's Cup Race

France has been eliminated as a potential America's Cup challenger after losing key races. Meanwhile, Britain's team, led by Ben Ainslie, has climbed to the top of the round-robin series leaderboard. This grants them the opportunity to choose their opponents for the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

France was eliminated as a potential America's Cup challenger on Monday, ending its hopes of competing for the coveted trophy. Meanwhile, Britain secured crucial victories to top the round-robin series leaderboard in light winds off Barcelona, spearheaded by Ben Ainslie.

As the leading team, Ainslie's British crew now has the privilege to choose their opponents for the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup. 'To be honest, we weren't really expecting that,' Ainslie remarked after defeating the Italian team, while declining to reveal their next opponent. He credited his team, saying, 'Big credit to the team ... all the work has paid off. I think we've got a quick package so we've just got to keep that ball rolling.'

The competition saw five potential challengers -- Britain, France, Italy, the United States, and Switzerland -- battling in the double round-robin stage amidst volatile sailing conditions in the Mediterranean. Britain's earlier victory over France put the latter out of the contest. Quentin Delapierre of the French crew stated, 'We fought really hard, but it was not enough,' yet expressed pride in their accomplishments.

With the French team's departure, the four remaining teams will progress to the semi-finals, vying for a spot in the final to determine who will challenge defending champions New Zealand in October. The stakes are high for the 'Auld Mug,' the oldest international sporting trophy, first won in 1851 off the south coast of England. Competing in state-of-the-art 'foiling' AC75 boats, modern America's Cup campaigns entail multimillion-dollar investments, resembling Formula One competitions but in the realm of sailing.

(With inputs from agencies.)