Weekend passes for the America's Cup are on sale for a special $17 price to celebrate 17 days to go before the sailing showpiece event.

The tickets, for the weekend of June 3 and 4, are usually $34 but are being offered half-price today.

According to a press release from the America's Cup Event Authority, passes give access to the heart of all the sailing action for two days, the scheduled final day of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers on the Saturday and the first scheduled day of the Challenger Play-offs on the Sunday.

Jimmy Spithill, skipper of Oracle Team USA, said in a statement: “With just 17 days to go, you can feel the excitement ramping up around Bermuda.

“From taxi drivers, to people you pass on the street, everywhere you go these days there's awareness, there's excitement, there's support.

“It's massive to have that home support from the people here in Bermuda. Last time around it made a huge difference and I think it will be a key factor again.

“Bermuda feels like home to us, because it is like home to us.

“We've met so many great people here over the past two-and-a-half years and we want to reward people here for the support they've shown by getting a good result.”

Seventeen is also the name of Oracle Team USA's America's Cup Class boat, the hydrofoiling catamaran that the defenders of the America's Cup will use as they go for their third victory in a row.

Tickets are available via www.americascup.com/tickets. When checking your purchase there is a promo code option, but you do not need a promo code to buy the $17 ticket today — just proceed to checkout.

If you have any issues, e-mail tickets@americascup.com and you will receive help quickly.