"We are very aware of what lies ahead in terms of the passion and colour that the Italian fans will show." Grant Dalton said at the America's Cup presentation ceremony in the main hall of the Palazzo Reale in Naples. New Zealand's Cup conductor is also one of the co-architects the new Cup regulations. He knows that his team is entering the "lion's den" by defending the title in 2027.
The 38th America's Cup match starts on 10 July 2027
Together with the founding members of the new America's Cup Partnership (ACP) and Italian politicians who were involved in bringing the sailing summit to Cup-loving Italy, the new Cup cycle has now been officially and ceremoniously launched once again in Naples. The organisers also announced important dates for the upcoming edition.
The 38th duel for the "Auld Mug" is scheduled to kick off on 10 July 2027 off Naples with two opening matches. The battle will be fought between the winner of the preceding challenger round and the defenders until the weekend of 17/18 June.
So far GB1 (Great Britain). Luna Rossa (Italy)the Tudor Team Alinghi (Switzerland) and the K-Challenge (France) Four official challengers foundwho want to fight for the right that Emirates Team New Zealand in the 38th duel for the most famous silver jug in sailing. For its fourth attempt, the British Challenger of Record has given itself a new name: Sir Ben Ainslie's Cup hunters, who were previously known as Athena Racing, are entering the race as Team GB1.
SailGP champion Dylan Fletcher should also do it in the Cup
Dylan Fletcher has now been unveiled as the British team's first helmsman. The 2021 Olympic 49er champion and reigning SailGP champion is to take control of the British fortunes in the team's fourth attempt. Alongside team founder and four-time Olympic champion Sir Ben Ainslie, Fletcher had already contributed to the first British victory in a Cup challenger round in the 37th America's Cup at the helm of the AC75 "Britannia" before the team was defeated by the Kiwis in the Cup duel.
Who will sail into the Cup arena in Naples at the second British helm alongside Dylan Fletcher remains to be seen. It is unclear whether Sir Ben Ainslie will compete again himself. He himself has hinted several times that he may no longer be an active sailor. The 48-year-old team boss - also known as "King Ben" or "Big Ben" - could leave the helm to others and concentrate on leading his team in the fourth consecutive Cup challenge.
First pre-regatta in May off Cagliari
There is a lot to do. The first pre-regatta for the 38th Louis Vuitton America's Cup starts from 21 to 24 May. In Cagliari, the teams will compete against each other on the smaller AC40 projectiles in the spring. Things get down to business in the Gulf of Angels off Poetto Beach, where strong mistral winds are always to be expected.
Cagliari is the home of the Italian challengers. Patrizio Bertelli's Team Luna Rossa is heading for the America's Cup for the fabulous seventh time. With home advantage, the reinforcement of New Zealand's exceptional helmsman Peter Burling in the team and concentrated Italian sailing passion behind them, will the dream of winning the Cup finally come true for the Azzurri this time?
Up to ten fleet races a day are planned for the first pre-regatta of the 38th Louis Vuitton America's Cup over four days. The two best teams will then fight for victory in a knock-out duel. A freely accessible Race Village and a fan zone with a view of the regatta course are planned for the first pre-regatta in the harbour of Cagliari, where large screens and live broadcasts will bring the action ashore.
"Even the taxi drivers are talking about it"
America's Cup Event Director Leslie Ryan said: "It will be unlike anything we've seen in the America's Cup before. You can already feel the mood rising. All the locals and even the taxi drivers are talking about it."
Grant Dalton also expects sporting surprises in the first battle on the AC40s. The CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand said: "From what we see internally, there is not much difference between what you would call 'established sailors' and the newcomers."
Dalton explicitly pointed to strong young talent in the Cup racing teams, saying: "We also know that the teams have incredibly talented youth and women's teams. So it wouldn't surprise me at all if the fleet was completely mixed and some of that next generation talent went on to great success." With victories in the youth and women's competitions before Barcelona in 2024, Italy's youngsters in particular had recommended themselves for such surprises, but the others are also to be reckoned with.
New opportunities for youth sailors and Cup women
It is a very exciting aspect of the pre-regattas that youth and women's teams will be sailing in a regatta fleet with the senior cup teams. Will one or the other be able to give the establishment a leg up in the battle on the OneDesign foils? The youngsters and the women will be motivated to the very tips of their hair, as they will also be competing for promotion to the core Cup teams. The class rules stipulate that at least one woman must be part of the five-person crews in the challenger round and in the Cup itself.
There are no German Cup sailors in sight so far. In the game, however, is the German-Frenchman Stephan Kandler, whose father was once co-founder of the ambitious German AeroSail campaign. The son is continuing the family passion for the Cup with the K-Challenge. The French team could benefit from the new Cup organisation with equal management of all racing teams. Especially with the successful parallel engagement in the SailGP at the start of the year With fresh impetus from their new partner DS Automobiles, Les Bleus are starting the 38th Cup cycle full of hope.
By utilising existing but converted AC75 yachts, capped Cup budgets (the limit is 75 million euros) and shortened Cup races, the chances of smaller and less well-heeled teams could increase. Stephan Kandler also sees the latest Cup challenge for Les Bleus as a mission.
Stepahn Kandler on the new Cup era
Kandler said at the Naples summit: "France is a historic country for sailing and the America's Cup. K-Challenge has been involved in various French challenges since 2001. It therefore became a mission to participate in the future of the America's Cup as one of the founding members of the new America's Cup partnership alongside legendary teams such as Emirates Team New Zealand, GB1, Luna Rossa and Tudor Team Alinghi."
Kandler is convinced that the America's Cup of its new direction is sailing well into the future, sees the latest developments as a "boost for the visibility and image of the America's Cup". His forecast: "It is a fantastic opportunity for the event and the teams to grow to the level of other leading sporting events."
