France was eliminated from the America’s Cup challenger series on Monday. Their dream of competing for this coveted trophy ended when they were beaten convincingly by Britain off Barcelona in light winds.

The Louis Vuitton Cup double round-robin has been held in a variety of sailing conditions in the Mediterranean.

The French team has been eliminated, and despite their strong racing, they only managed to win one series. Now, the remaining four teams will compete in a semi-final for a spot in the final. This will determine who will face New Zealand, the defending champions, in October.

All of them are vying for the oldest sporting trophy in the world, the "Auld Mug", which was won first off the South Coast of England, England, in 1851.

America's Cup campaigns cost tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars. They are now fought in the latest 'foiling AC75' boats, which some compare to Formula One. (Reporting and editing by Christian Radnedge; Alexander Smith)

(source: Reuters)