Imagine being 19 years old and competing against the best sailors in the world in a pre-regatta for the oldest and most important trophy in the sport. This is the case for Marco Gradoni from Rome, who is only 19 years old. He parried the task with astonishing calm as a true team player, saying after the Italians' three race wins: "This one is for the whole team."
Azzurri give Cup youngsters a chance: three wins and second place in their first outing
Marco Gradoni was the first sailor to win the Optimist World Championship three times in a row between 2017 and 2019. In 2019, the talent of the century became the youngest person in sailing history to be named World Sailor of the Year. Four years later, he is already at the helm of an AC40 foiler and, alongside Nacra 17 Olympic champion Ruggero Tita, was one of the two young drivers and thinkers for Patrizio Bertelli's Azzurri in the second pre-regatta for the 37th America's Cup at the weekend.
After the deployment of their experienced helmsmen Francesco Bruni and Jimmy Spithill at the first pre-regatta in Vilanova i la Geltrù, the Italians deliberately opted for their youngsters for round two in Jeddah, who were able to gain valuable experience on the Cup course. After the youngsters fell off the foils quite spectacularly at the dress rehearsal in Jeddah and made "the Ferrari" dive in front of their boss's eyes, they turned up the heat in the three-day pre-regatta up to the final on 2 December in spectacular fashion.
France's Orient Express plagued by technical problems
With their third victory overall in the seventh and penultimate of eight fleet races up to the match race final, the Italians with the Luna Rossa sailing quartet catapulted themselves into the decisive duel as the second team after the New Zealand fleet race winners. Alinghi's red bulls, the Americans from Team NYYC American Magic, who were victorious in Vilanova, Sir Ben Ainslie's Team Ineos Britannia and France's Orient Express, which was plagued by technical and hydraulic problems this weekend, were left behind.
While most of the Cup celebrities were struggling, Marco Gradoni, Ruggero Tita and their two trimmers Vittorio Bissaro and Umberto Molineris became the number one topic of conversation during this fast-paced regatta weekend on the Red Sea. "Max Sirena (Editor: Team Director) has given us a huge opportunity for which we are very grateful," said Ruggero Tita at his official Cup premiere.
This victory here on the Red Sea means a lot to us after the not so good performance in Vilanova" (Nathan Outteridge)
The New Zealand Cup defenders felt no breath hotter in the stern during their gala off Jeddah than that of the young and aggressive Italians. New Zealand's multi-gilt helmsmen Peter Burling and Nathan Outteridge had to call on their entire repertoire to bring the Kiwis' ultimately commanding overall victory to the finish.
"This victory here on the Red Sea means a lot to us after the not-so-good performance in Vilanova. We are happy that we were able to deliver a few clean laps. And it was nice to win the duel against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in the end," said 37-year-old 49er Olympic champion Nathan Outteridge. The Australian has switched to Emirates Team New Zealand for the Cup defence.
Between 19 and 50 years old: Four helmsmen make the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team strong
The Italian shooting stars Ruggero Tita and Marco Gradoni may have found their defeat in the final less than pleasant, but they can look back with pride on their first outing in the 37th America's Cup cycle. On the one hand, because they were able to put the Kiwis under massive pressure and were only narrowly beaten in the final. Secondly, because they were able to leave a whole armada of Cup stars behind them at the very first attempt. As the best of the five challenger campaigns, the Italians ended the year on a high.
Racing team owner Patrizio Bertelli has been chasing the America's Cup since the turn of the millennium. It is his seventh challenge under the sign of the "Red Moon" (Luna Rossa). With four outstanding helmsmen - Francesco "Checco" Bruni (50 years old), Jimmy Spithill (44), Ruggero Tita (31) and Marco Gradoni (19) - the Italians have created an impressive pool of two Cup generations under the direction of team director Max Sirena. No other Cup team has such a breadth and depth of top helmsmen as Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.
The Kiwis remain the benchmark in the 37th America's Cup
But after six race wins in three days, the Kiwis are also going into the Christmas break in high spirits. They are still the team that sets the bar in the America's Cup. Emirates Team New Zealand were crowned champions on the Red Sea at the end of the season. "They are still the champions, especially in match racing, the others are still the journeymen," said former New Zealand America's Cup winner and TV commentator Peter Lester dryly at the end of the year.
However, the results of the pre-regattas such as the one in Jeddah do not have too much significance with regard to the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Barcelona itself. In late summer and autumn 2024, the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series and the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Match will no longer be held on the AC40 test and training yachts, but on the new AC75 monohulls, of which each team is only allowed to build one.
The moment of truth will not arrive until the third pre-regatta in August 2024
The third and final pre-regatta, which will take place in August off Barcelona on the AC75 racers, will show which team has done its design homework best and created the most effective foiling platform for the Cup event. The duel between the best challenger and the New Zealand Cup defenders is scheduled for the period from 10 to 20 October.
