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Naples has experienced its first America’s Cup weekend. For the first time, the teams raced in the waters that will host the 38th America’s Cup in 2027, giving the city a preview of what is to come next year. This time, the AC40s took centre stage; in 2027, it will be the AC75s competing for the oldest trophy in international sport.
And Naples responded from the very beginning. The seafront was transformed into a huge grandstand overlooking the Gulf, thousands of boats took to the water and crowds grew day by day, reaching almost 100,000 people on the final day according to Emirates Team New Zealand. Sailing and the city became part of the same spectacle.
For Emirates Team New Zealand, supported by SLAM as Official Apparel Supplier, the Preliminary Regatta ended with a second-place finish for the senior team, led by skipper Nathan Outteridge alongside Seb Menzies, Andy Maloney and Iain Jensen.
After three days of closely fought fleet racing, the New Zealanders secured their second consecutive Preliminary Regatta final following Cagliari. New Zealand publication Boating New Zealand particularly highlighted the crew’s ability to recover from a difficult start on Saturday and regain consistency in an extremely closely matched fleet.
In the final, ETNZ once again faced Luna Rossa, which had produced an almost perfect day. The Italian crew of Peter Burling, Marco Gradoni, Maria Giubilei and Gianluigi Ugolini won the final two fleet races before also claiming victory in the decisive Match Race. Congratulations to Luna Rossa on a win that, in front of the home crowd, made the first America’s Cup racing in the waters of Naples even more special.
“The sailing conditions in Naples are extraordinary. I think we are going to see some spectacular racing,” Outteridge had said during training in the Gulf. The weekend proved his words right.
©Ian Roman / America's Cup
Emirates Team New Zealand also celebrated victory for its Women & Youth team, led by Jake Pye with Erica Dawson as co-helm, which claimed its trophy after a closely fought battle with Luna Rossa Women & Youth.
The New Zealand media also viewed the result as an important step on the road to 2027, when Naples will once again host competitions dedicated to the next generation and women’s sailing.
© Ian Roman / America's Cup
The Preliminary Regatta therefore leaves behind much more than a set of results. It gave the teams their first opportunity to race in the Gulf and, above all, showed just how strongly Naples can embrace sailing, bringing the action remarkably close to the city and its spectators.
For Emirates Team New Zealand, the work now continues towards the defence of the America’s Cup. In 2027, the AC40s will make way for the AC75s at centre stage. The seafront, Mount Vesuvius and the Gulf will still be there. And this time, the America’s Cup itself will be at stake.
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