Italy at the America's Cup

Last updated
Luna Rossa's AC75 training in Cagliari in 2019. Luna-rossa-prada-pirelli-vela.jpg
Luna Rossa's AC75 training in Cagliari in 2019.

Since the 1980s, Italy has been a serious challenge contender for the America's Cup. Italian teams have won the Challenger Selection Series three times: the Louis Vuitton Cup in 1992 with Il Moro di Venezia, in 2000 with Luna Rossa and the Prada Cup in 2021, again with Luna Rossa. [1]

Contents

Italy thus took on the official role of challenger and gained the right to challenge the defender in America's Cup. However, it was defeated on all three occasions. [2]

Italy in the Challenger Selection Series

Italy first participated in the 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup with the yacht Azzurra . Since then, at least one Italian syndicate has entered every edition of the challenger selection series (known as Louis Vuitton Cup from 1983 to 2013 and Prada Cup in 2021), except for the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup. While Luna Rossa Challenge had originally entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Cup, it withdrew in protest when the class of boats for the competition was changed without unanimous consent of all participants.

In three occasions, multiple Italian teams entered in the same year: two in the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup, two in the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup and three in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup.

Three Italian yachts ever won the challenger selection series, earning the right to challenge for the America's Cup: Il Moro di Venezia in 1992, Luna Rossa in 2000 and Luna Rossa again in 2021.

YearVenueYachting clubBoatSkipperResultWinnerNotes
1983 Flag of the United States.svg Newport Burgee of Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.svg  Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Azzurra
(12 Metre I-4)
Cino Ricci 3rd Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia II
1987 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Fremantle Burgee of Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.svg  Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Azzurra III
(12 Metre I-11)
Cino Ricci 11th Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia II
Burgee of yc italiano.svg  Yacht Club Italiano Italia
(12 Metre I-7)
Flavio Scala and Aldo Migliaccio7th
1992 Flag of the United States.svg San Diego Burgee of compagnia della vela.svg  Compagnia della Vela Il Moro di Venezia V
(IACC ITA-25)
Paul Cayard Winner
1995 Flag of the United States.svg San Diego No Italian team entered the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup
2000 Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland Burgee of yc punta ala.svg  Yacht Club Punta Ala Luna Rossa
(IACC ITA-45)
Francesco de Angelis Winner
2003 Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland Burgee of yc punta ala.svg  Yacht Club Punta Ala Luna Rossa
(IACC ITA-74)
Francesco de Angelis Semifinalist Civil Ensign of Switzerland.svg Alinghi
Burgee of rycc savoia.png Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia Mascalzone Latino
(IACC ITA-72)
Paolo Cian9th
2007 Flag of Spain.svg Valencia Burgee of yc italiano.svg  Yacht Club Italiano Luna Rossa
(IACC ITA-94)
Francesco de Angelis Finalist Flag of New Zealand.svg Team New Zealand
Burgee of rycc savoia.png Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia Mascalzone Latino
(IACC ITA-99)
Vasco Vascotto 6th
Burgee of Circolo Vela Gargnano.svg Circolo Vela Gargnano +39 Challenge
(IACC ITA-85)
Luca Devoti 9th
2013 Flag of the United States.svg San Francisco Burgee of circolo della vela sicilia.png  Circolo della Vela Sicilia Luna Rossa
(AC72)
Max Sirena Finalist Flag of New Zealand.svg Team New Zealand
2017 Flag of Bermuda.svg Bermuda Luna Rossa entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy but then withdrew in protest.
2021 Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland Burgee of circolo della vela sicilia.png  Circolo della Vela Sicilia Luna Rossa
(AC75)
Max Sirena Winner

Italy in the America's Cup match

Three Italian yachts earned the right to challenge for the America's Cup: Il Moro di Venezia in 1992, the first team from a non-English speaking nation to do so, Luna Rossa in 2000 and Luna Rossa again in 2021. In all three occasions, the Italian teams lost to the defending champion.

YearVenueChallenging clubChallengerSkipperScoreDefenderDefending ClubNotes
1992 Flag of the United States.svg San Diego Burgee of compagnia della vela.svg  Compagnia della Vela Il Moro di Venezia V
(IACC ITA-25)
Paul Cayard 1-4 America³
(IACC USA-23)
Burgee of San Diego Yacht Club.svg  San Diego Yacht Club
2000 Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland Burgee of yc punta ala.svg  Yacht Club Punta Ala Luna Rossa
(IACC ITA-45)
Francesco de Angelis 0-5 Team New Zealand
(IACC NZL-60)
Burgee of rnzys.svg  Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
2021 Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland Burgee of circolo della vela sicilia.png  Circolo della Vela Sicilia Luna Rossa
(AC75)
Max Sirena 3-7 Te Rehutai
(AC75)
Burgee of rnzys.svg  Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International America's Cup Class</span> Class of racing yacht that was developed for the Americas Cup between 1992 and 2007

The International Americas Cup Class is a class of racing yacht that was developed for the America's Cup between 1992 and 2007. These yachts, while not identical, were all designed to the same formula to offer designers the freedom to experiment whilst keeping the boats sufficiently comparable to race in real time. The class was established for the 1992 America's Cup because of perceived shortcomings of the 12-metre class, which had been used in the America's Cup since 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Cayard</span> American sailor

Paul Pierre Cayard is an American yachtsman and professional sailor. He has competed at multiple world championship level sailing events, including the America's Cup, the Whitbread Round the World Race, the Volvo Ocean Race and the Olympic Games. In 1998 he was selected as the US Rolex Yachtsmen of the Year. He has won seven world championships, twice participated in the Olympic Games and seven times in the America's Cup. In 2011 he was elected into the US Sailing Hall of Fame.

Team New Zealand or TNZ is a sailing team based in Auckland, New Zealand representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dean Barker (sailor)</span> New Zealand yachtsman

Dean Raymond Barker is a New Zealand yachtsman. He is best known internationally for his participation in America's Cup yacht races.

Il Moro Challenge was a 1992 Italian America's Cup team headed by industrialist Raul Gardini. The team won the 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup but failed to win the 28th America's Cup.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, originally named Prada Challenge, then Luna Rossa Challenge, is an Italian sailboat racing syndicate first created to compete for the 2000 America's Cup. It won the Louis Vuitton Cup on its first attempt in 2000, but then lost the America's Cup match against the defending champion team, Team New Zealand.

The 1992 Citizen Cup was the defender selection series regatta for the 1992 America's Cup, held in the United States. Two defense syndicates competed over four round robins in order earn a berth in the Citizen Cup finals; the winner earned the right to defend the America's Cup against the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Spithill</span> Australian sailor (born 1979)

James Spithill is an Australian yachtsman.

The 5th Louis Vuitton Cup was held in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2000. The winner, Prada Challenge, went on to challenge for the 2000 America's Cup. It was the first time in the competition's history that there would not be an American challenger or defender.

The 4th Louis Vuitton Cup was held in San Diego, United States in 1995. The winner, Team New Zealand, went on to challenge for and win the 1995 America's Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 Louis Vuitton Cup</span>

The 3rd Louis Vuitton Cup was held in San Diego, United States in 1992. The winner, Il Moro di Venezia, went on to challenge for the 1992 America's Cup.

The 8th Louis Vuitton Cup was held during July and August 2013, in San Francisco, California, United States of America. The three contenders were Artemis Racing (Sweden), Emirates Team New Zealand, and Luna Rossa Challenge (Italy). After a preliminary round robin to determine seeding, Artemis Racing was eliminated in the semi-final round by Luna Rossa Challenge by four races to none. In the final, Emirates Team New Zealand beat Luna Rossa Challenge by seven races to one, and went on to challenge Oracle Team USA for the 2013 America's Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francesco Bruni (sailor)</span> Italian sailor

Francesco "Checco" Bruni is a professional sailor from Italy, together with James Spithill, helmsman of Luna Rossa during the America's Cup 2021.

<i>America³</i> (1992 yacht)

America³ (USA–23) was an American International America's Cup Class yacht that successfully defended the 1992 America's Cup challenge from the Il Moro Challenge racing syndicate.

The 36th America's Cup in March 2021 was the latest staging of the America's Cup yacht race. It was contested on the inner Hauraki Gulf off Auckland, New Zealand, between the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Circolo della Vela Sicilia of Italy. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's boat was Te Rehutai owned and sailed by the Emirates Team New Zealand syndicate. Circolo della Vela Sicilia's boat was Luna Rossa, owned and sailed by the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli syndicate. Both boats are AC75 class high-performance foiling monohulls, a class designed specifically for this competition. The Cup was won by Team New Zealand, 7–3.

Matteo Plazzi is an Italian sailor who has competed in multiple America's Cups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compagnia della Vela</span>

Compagnia della Vela is a yacht club in Venice, in northern Italy. The club was the "Challenger of Record" for the 1992 America's Cup, where they were represented by their team Il Moro di Venezia, and won the 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup.

The 2021 Prada Challenger's Trophy was a sailing competition held to determine the challenger in the 2021 America's Cup who would challenge Emirates Team New Zealand. The races were held from January 15 to February 21, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand and were preceded by the 2019–20 America's Cup World Series. Veteran sailor Iain Murray served again as race director. The team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli beat Ineos Team UK 7-1 in the final moving onto the 2021 America's Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prada Cup</span> Sailing race trophy

The Prada Cup is the name of the Challenger Selection Series - a sailing competition to determine the Challenger that will earn the right to challenge the Defender for the conquest of the America's Cup. Prior to 2021, the series was named the Louis Vuitton Cup.

The America's Cup is the oldest continuous competition in international sport, and among the world's most prestigious sporting trophies. The 37th America's Cup will be raced from 12 October 2024 as a first-to-seven-wins match-race series in Barcelona, Spain, between a yacht representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and a yacht representing the yacht club that wins the Louis Vuitton Challenger Selections Series, also in Barcelona, in September 2024.

References

  1. LSD (2021-02-21). "Prada Cup Final Day 4: Luna Rossa Crowned and Moves onto the America's Cup". Live Sail Die. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  2. "La storia della America's Cup" (in Italian). giornaledellavela.com. Retrieved 17 September 2019.