Is this the race that used to be the "americas cup" till a a kiwi won it some 10- 15 years ago?

Nope. The America's Cup remains the same, it is, after all the oldest contested trophy in modern organised sport. It is also a match-racing trophy, which until about ten years ago, meant that the racing involved was no match for watching grass grow in terms of it excitement level. After Australia won it, then the US won it back, changes to the boats and the rules, and the involvement of the permanently manic commentary of Peter Montgomery, the sport has managed to become more interesting to landlubbers like myself.
The Whitbread (now the Volvo) is a round the world race in boats that are bigger and, more importantly, stronger than those used in The America's Cup, which boats would snap like pretzels if raced in the Southern Ocean, part of the route for the Whitbread.