The first pre-regatta for the 38th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup proved to be a pleasant surprise at the end of May. The racing off Cagliari on the smaller AC40 boats was fast-paced, thrilling and highly exciting. Off Cagliari, it was particularly Luna Rossa’s young challengers from the Youth & Women’s Team her fearlessness in taking on the cup establishment, her fighting spirit and her skill. In the end, however, it was the seniors who triumphed the Azzurri, because the youngsters were a bit too impetuous. And also because superstar Peter Burling has switched sides for this year’s Cup, is now racing for Luna Rossa, and hit top form in the final. Click here for the results from Cagliari.
Second prelude to the America’s Cup: nine teams from six countries
Now the second preliminary regatta is coming up. It will in the upcoming Cup venue of Naples and will be much more than just an interesting warm-up. Instead of eight, nine teams from six countries will be taking part from 24 to 27 September. Making its debut as a newcomer is the American Racing Challenger Team USA, which joined the America’s Cup at a late stage.
Ken Read, one of the best-known and most successful US sailors, is leading the team. With more than 50 World Championship, continental and national titles to his name, and having served as helmsman, strategist and coach in three America’s Cup campaigns (in 1995 with “Young America”; in 2000 and 2003 for Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes campaign), as well as a two-time skipper in the Ocean Race, Read brings a wealth of experience to the team.
Read is also President of North Sails and the North Technology Group. Inducted into the Sailing Hall of Fame in 2025, the 65-year-old is a key figure in the American sailing world. Finn class double Olympic champion Giles Scott has been appointed as sailing director. Having previously been part of Sir Ben Ainslie’s British team, Dylan Fletcher took over Scott’s position as second helmsman alongside Ainslie during the 37th America’s Cup.
Who can beat Luna Rossa with Peter Burling?
In SailGP, Scott – who also holds a Canadian passport – recently managed to outperform the British team with his NorthStar Canada squad. NorthStar finished third in New York and, most recently, in Emirates GBR’s home waters; following Scott’s arrival for season five, the team appears to be slowly but surely finding its way to success. His SailGP experience should stand him in good stead when competing for the US team in the America’s Cup.
Once again fielding two teams each (senior and youth/women’s), the Cup powerhouses from New Zealand (Emirates Team New Zealand), Italy (Luna Rossa) and Great Britain (GB1) are in the running. The latter struggled with technical problems during the first pre-regatta. In SailGP, too, the same helmsman, Dylan Fletcher, and his crew to put recent setbacks behind them.
France’s La Roche-Posay Racing Team and the Tudor Team Alinghi are both fielding top-class crews for the four-day series, which begins with a day of practice racing followed by the three-day regatta. The key questions ahead of the second pre-regatta for the 38th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup: Can the Italians repeat their impressive performance from Cagliari on home waters and continue to set the benchmark? Or will New Zealand’s defenders rise to the challenge? And how will Sir Ben Ainslie’s British team fare without the technical problems they faced in Cagliari?
A lovely excuse for a long weekend in Naples
It’s always an exciting question: just how far can the single-boat teams from La Roche-Posay Racing Team and Tudor Team Alinghi go in the OneDesign competition with the AC40s? After all, the French crew led by skipper Quentin Delapierre are being bolstered by the Spanish 49er Olympic champions, World Sailor of the Year 2024 and current SailGP supermen Diego Botin and Flo Trittel . With this French-Spanish crew combination in the Stephan Kandler Bruno Dubois’s team is set to be a force to be reckoned with on the AC40s.
The format of the regatta remains much the same as it was before Sardinia: on 24 September, practice races will be held for the fleet. On 25 September, the racing begins at 2.13 pm with three fleet races, which are expected to be completed by 4 pm. Three further fleet races are scheduled for Saturday (26 September), followed by two fleet races on Sunday (27 September). The top two teams will progress to the final, where the overall victory will be decided in a single head-to-head race.
Anyone visiting in late summer will find the Race Village at Rotonda Diaz (Mappatella Beach) open on all four days of the event from 11 am to around 8 pm, with free entry. On the evening of 24 September, all the teams will be introduced to the fans on stage at around 6 pm. In addition, Via Francesco Caracciolo will be closed to traffic so that spectators can enjoy the promenade and the festivities.
A prologue to the America’s Cup at the birthplace of the Margherita pizza
Private spectator yachts and excursion boats are also permitted on the water, subject to prior registration. The relevant registration page had not yet been activated at the time of writing, but the America’s Cup organisers have announced that it will go live in the weeks leading up to the event. Given the Italians’ passion for the Cup – which is already evident in Cagliari and well known in general – a massive fleet of spectators is to be expected.
Situated on the picturesque bay of the same name, close to Vesuvius, Naples – founded more than 2,500 years ago – is not only a very lively city steeped in history. The capital of Campania, near the Amalfi Coast It is also regarded as the birthplace of the Neapolitan Margherita pizza. The sporting question now, ahead of the second America’s Cup pre-regatta, is this: will it be a classic Margherita, a varied Capricciosa or a fiery Diavola that’s served?
A look back! Here’s how the final unfolded at the first Louis Vuitton America’s Cup pre-regatta:
Sneak preview! Click here for the first preview of the mini Naples Summit, ahead of the Challenger Round and the 38th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup in 2027, which will take place there:
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter