Previously, only the name of the location was known. Now there is also a date. The 38th edition of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup will officially start on July 10, 2027, with the first race seeing the defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, take on the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup, i.e., one of Luna Rossa, GB1, K-Challenge, or Alinghi Tudor, the four teams registered so far. While waiting for the action to begin, you can already start to breathe the air of the America’s Cup this year. There will be three preliminary races scheduled, the first of which will take place from May 21 to 24 in Cagliari, followed by a second in Naples at the end of June (the exact dates have yet to be confirmed). The third race is scheduled for early 2027.
This will give us a small taste of what to expect and an opportunity to see how preparations are progressing about two years before the end of the America’s Cup in Barcelona. In these races, the five teams registered so far will each participate with two AC40 one-design foiling boats, one of which will be dedicated to crews made up of women and young sailors. In the early days, the teams will compete in a series of fleet races, at the end of which the top two in the standings will face off in a ‘winner takes all’ final to determine the winner of the regatta.
All of Italy
Never before has Italy been so much in the spotlight as in this edition. The two preliminary stages in Cagliari and Naples, with the latter also hosting the 38th edition of the Cup, will offer added value to Luna Rossa’s participation. In addition to the presence of Italian sponsors such as Prada, Panerai, and Pirelli, the team will be able to count on home advantage in the form of public support. The Italian team’s presence has reached a total of seven, setting a new record in the history of this competition. “With the America’s Cup in Italy, and especially in Naples, I believe that this burden will be partly alleviated by the enthusiasm of the Italians and the warmth of the public,” explains Max Sirena, CEO of Luna Rossa. “We already raced here about ten years ago, between 2011 and 2013, and it brought us a lot of luck: we won. Naples is a unique city, difficult to describe unless you really experience it, visiting its places and meeting its people,“ reflects Sirena.
Expectations are high, and anticipation even higher. ”I think it will be an America’s Cup like we’ve never seen before, especially in terms of audience and involvement for the city. Just look around, just see what happened when Napoli won the Scudetto to get an idea of what awaits us,“ adds Sirena. The pressure will be there, but it will be positive pressure. ”In a way, we will be representing the whole of Italy, not just Naples or Campania. It is essential that the whole city, the whole region, and the whole country cheer on the Italian boat. It will be something special, we can’t wait,“ continues Sirena. In the coming months, the team will return to sail in Neapolitan waters: ”In the spring, we will be back here to train. And then, finally, we will move permanently to Naples for the America’s Cup,” continues Sirena.
Luna Rossa’s participation has also been enriched by the presence of a champion of the caliber of Peter Burling. The New Zealand champion has three America’s Cups under his belt, one of which he won in 2021 against Luna Rossa, as well as three Olympic medals. It’s a short step from rivals to allies. Many believe that Burling’s contribution will be decisive in helping the Italian boat make a definitive leap in quality. “At first, we didn’t even know that Peter Burling was leaving the team,” says Sirena. “The first to join was Josh Junior (a Kiwi sailor with an impressive resume, ed.), in a more technical role. Only later, when news of a possible split began to circulate, did I start talking to Peter (Burling, ed.),” Sirena reflects. The negotiations began without any certainties and, above all, without knowing the final regulatory framework. “At the time, the rules wouldn’t even have allowed him to sail. The change only came a few months later. But regardless, I would have taken him anyway,” continues Sirena, who has a clear view on the subject of ‘rumors’ and possible overlaps between circuits, above all SailGP: “I believe that the world of sailing has room for everyone.
We should be smart enough to talk to each other in the right way. The goal is not to replace anything: the America’s Cup is untouchable. The circuits that are growing are something else. They have completely different histories, languages, and goals, and they will never compete with each other,” Sirena reflects. Naples will also be an opportunity to heal a wound that still burns. “I’m still smarting over the 2021 edition. We could have won. It’s clear that we made mistakes, and it’s clear that I also bear some responsibility. That’s why we’re working on continuity, on future steps, on new figures. The team is not something that ends tomorrow: the goal is to move forward over time,” concludes Sirena.
Italy as a venue for major sporting events
Emirates Team New Zealand’s decision to organize the 38th edition of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup in Naples confirms Italy’s increasingly central role in major sporting events. And the reference is, of course, to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. Events such as the America’s Cup bring with them a vision that goes beyond the strictly sporting aspect. “The Italian government—whose greetings I convey, starting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni—strongly wanted this opportunity, for the first time in our country’s history,” said Andrea Abodi, Minister for Sport and Youth, in his speech.
“We had the opportunity to meet with the New Zealand team led by Grant Dalton, who understood the value of Italy and its potential, while recognizing that Naples is the ideal place to host the America’s Cup. What we are building goes far beyond the logic of a major sporting event and stems from the desire to offer a concrete perspective. We can proudly say that thanks to the joint efforts of the Mayor, the Special Commissioner, Invitalia, numerous ministers, and local administrators, the legacy of the America’s Cup has already begun. The Bagnoli shipyard (where the teams’ bases will be set up, ed.) is tangible proof of the desire to restore dignity and a future to a place that had lost them. We want to build a deep harmony with the entire city, including areas that often seem excluded. The America’s Cup must be a popular event: even though we are talking about high technology and finance, its strength lies in its relationship with people. We will symbolically bring the sea of the America’s Cup from the center to the suburbs, because there is a need for trust and hope,” concluded Abodi.
This edition has already declared its first winner. Naples immediately won the hearts of the teams, who were able to experience firsthand the enthusiasm, warmth, and welcome that the city wanted to offer. It is a truly special moment. “It has been a long journey, which would not have been possible without the constructive collaboration of all the institutions involved. I believe that the real winner will be the city of Naples. And that’s fine: Naples comes first,“ said Matteo De Nora, Team Principal of Emirates Team New Zealand. These words were echoed by Grant Dalton, CEO of the New Zealand team, who said: ”We were here in 2013 and that race left a deep impression on the team and on me. Not only because of the sailing conditions, which are ideal, but above all because of the people. Naples is unique, its fans are incredible. In a way, it feels like home, because New Zealand fans are also extraordinary.
That said, we know we are in the ‘lion’s den’. Luna Rossa and all the other challengers will be highly motivated to prevent us from winning four consecutive victories. There is a lot of work to be done, but the welcome has been exceptional. We will give our all for the city, knowing that the city will give its all… even if the fans will rightly be rooting for Luna Rossa.“ Sealing this choice were the words of Pietro Beccari, President and CEO of Louis Vuitton, who commented, ”We are delighted to support the America’s Cup in its new transformation, which ushers in an even more modern and inclusive era. Together, we experienced the first major transformation of this event in 1983 with the creation of the Louis Vuitton Cup, and today we are honored to be part of this edition, the first to be held in Italy.”
What changes and what remains the same
At the moment, the first real novelty is the absence of an American team in over 176 years of history. But statistics aside, the 38th edition of the America’s Cup brings with it a series of substantial changes. First of all, it will be held every two years and no longer every four years as in the past. Then there are the boats. Participating teams will not be able to build a hull but will have to develop the existing one. This means work on foils, rudders, on-board systems, and sails. Then there is the crew, which will no longer have cyclors or grinders. And what about the energy to power the foils and keep the systems running? This will be provided by batteries housed inside the hull. The number of crew members will be reduced from eight to six, or rather five plus a guest. The rules also require the presence of a female sailor on board. Otherwise, the hull will remain the same length as always, i.e., 20.7 meters, the mast will be 26.5 meters high, and the total sail area will be 230 square meters.
Matteo Zaccagnino
