THE AMERICA’S CUP will switch from monohulls to catamarans for the next edition in 2013.

The race, which is traditionally the biggest event of the sailing calendar, will make a number of chages to its structure for the thirty-fourth edition in three years time.

The last edition had been dogged by a legal battle over the staging and rules of the event between the BMW Oracle and Alinghi teams. But Russell Coutts, chief executive of 2010 winner BMW Oracle says  ”this new format and boat will put the America’s Cup back at the pinnacle of our sport.”

Another significant change for 2013, reports the BBC, will be the use of an independent race management with an international jury.

“These changes will give equal opportunity to competitors and long-term economic stability to all teams and all commercial partners,” added Coutt’s at a press conference in Valencia. “We promised fairness and innovation and this is what we’ve delivered.”

A venue for the 2013 event will not be revealed until the end of the year, but San Francisco and Valencia are among the leading contenders.