It sounded like a bar joke when Lorenzo Rizzardi, President of Circolo Vela Gargnano on Lake Garda, considered taking part in the America's Cup at the end of February. "Why shouldn't we look into this somewhat unhealthy venture," he confirmed the rumours. Yesterday he laid his cards on the table and publicly presented his surprising challenge to Alinghi.
This is linked to a penalty fee of one million euros if the Italians do not start and an entry fee payment of 75,000 euros for copyright rights and organisational expenses for the challengers. Rizzardi has not yet announced the team's budget and sponsors. However, it is likely that the Lombardy region will be one of the main sponsors. It is also the sponsor of Rizzardi's Libera "Clandesteam", with which he has won the Centomiglia on Lake Garda several times.
This brings the number of possible challengers from Italy to five. The official presentation of Gualtiero Pantani's Toscana Challenge with Karol Jablonski is also expected next week. The renewed start of a Prada team of Patrizio Bertelli with his old companion Francesco de Angelis and a Mascalzone team with Vincenzo Onorato also seems relatively certain. There are also rumours of a team from Naples.
Loïck Peyron and Bertrand Pacé's Team France also seems to be further ahead than expected. Although the French have reduced their proposed budget from 75 million euros to 65 million, they have announced that they have now found two of the four necessary main sponsors as well as 15 official partners. New Zealander Rod Davies, starting helmsman at Prada, is rumoured to be the sailing coach. Training is due to start in the summer.
