The Americas cup gets underway in earnest today in Plymouth.

Preliminary racing should start at 2pm and the nine catamarans will also take part in speed trials - these don't count towards their final points score but should make quite a spectacle in Plymouth Sound.

The action will be beamed onto a big screen on the Hoe, where there will be full commentary.

The main racing worth the most points starts on Wednesday.

At the moment Oracle racing from the USA and the Emirates team from New Zealand are top of the leaderboards.

The final result won't be known until 2013 following the final in San Francisco

There will also be plenty of entertainment tonight with Ruarri Joseph and Newton Faulkner performing.