The last appearance of America's Cup yachts in European waters was almost three and a half years ago and took place in the penultimate regatta of the 2015/2016 world series in the French waters of Toulon. Now spectators can finally get a taste of European Cup air again at the start of the 2020 America's Cup World Series (ACWS) off Sardinia. The eagerly awaited first joint appearance of the four new foiling monohull giants of the AC75 class in Italian waters is not too far away for German Cup fans either.
The film of the christening shows just how passionate the Italians were at the start of the 36th America's Cup
Given the Italian passion for the most famous regatta in international sailing and the commitment of Patrizio Bertelli's home-based Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team, the Azzurri's enthusiasm is likely to be contagious. However, it remains to be seen how much value can be attached to the results on the water in the opening comparison of the first of two authorised new boats from each of the four teams involved. In the last 35th America's Cup, Sir Ben Ainslie's team Land Rover BAR won the overall standings of the World Series preceding the Cup, but was then eliminated in the semi-finals of the challenger round with a boat that was too slow and disappointed.
The action will take place off Sardinia from 23 to 26 April. The regatta village will be set up in Sardinia's capital Cagliari, where Miuccia Prada christened the Italian team's first new boat in autumn 2019. Spectators have free admission and can watch the races live on large screens. A jumbo screen is also planned for Cagliari's charming city centre. If you want to be there on the water, you can book seats on spectator boats, but you will have to be patient for a while yet. The various ticket categories, packages and prices for the Cup event organised by tour operator Musement will be announced by the organisers in the coming weeks here on the Cup homepage publish.
Meanwhile, Cup defenders Emirates Team New Zealand, Challengers of Record host Italians Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, Sir Ben Ainslie's Ineos Team UK and Team American Magic are preparing for their first outing. The format for the first of three ACWS regattas has just been announced: On the first three of the four regatta days, the quartet will sail a so-called double "round robin" round, in which each team will face each other twice. This results in four races per day, each lasting around 20 minutes, totalling twelve duels. On the final day, the last two teams in the preliminary round will compete in a single knockout match for third place. The two top teams will fight for the regatta victory in "first to win two" mode.
The opening event in Italy will be followed by two more ACWS regattas this Olympic year in Portsmouth (4 to 7 June) and Auckland (17 to 20 December). The Prada Cup challenger round will take place in January and February in the New Zealand defences' territory. The winner can challenge the Kiwis in the 36th America's Cup duel from 6 March in Hauraki Gulf.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
