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Italy at the America's Cup

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Luna Rossa's AC75 training in Cagliari in 2019.

Since the 1980s, Italy has been a serious challenge contender for the America's Cup. Italian teams have won the Challenger Selection Series three times: the Louis Vuitton Cup in 1992 with Il Moro di Venezia, in 2000 with Luna Rossa and the Prada Cup in 2021, again with Luna Rossa.[1]

Italy thus took on the official role of challenger and gained the right to challenge the defender in America's Cup. However, it was defeated on all three occasions.[2]

Italy in the Challenger Selection Series

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Italy first participated in the 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup with the yacht Azzurra. Since then, at least one Italian syndicate has entered every edition of the challenger selection series (known as Louis Vuitton Cup from 1983 to 2013 and in 2024, Prada Cup in 2021), except for the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup. While Luna Rossa Challenge had originally entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Cup, it withdrew in protest when the class of boats for the competition was changed without unanimous consent of all participants.

In three occasions, multiple Italian teams entered in the same year: two in the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup, two in the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup and three in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup.

Three Italian yachts ever won the challenger selection series, earning the right to challenge for the America's Cup: Il Moro di Venezia in 1992, Luna Rossa in 2000 and Luna Rossa again in 2021.

Year Venue Yachting club Boat Skipper Result Winner Notes
1983 United States Newport  Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Azzurra
(12 Metre I-4)
Cino Ricci 3rd Australia Australia II
1987 Australia Fremantle  Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Azzurra III
(12 Metre I-11)
Cino Ricci 11th Australia Australia II
 Yacht Club Italiano Italia
(12 Metre I-7)
Flavio Scala and Aldo Migliaccio 7th
1992 United States San Diego  Compagnia della Vela Il Moro di Venezia V
(IACC ITA-25)
Paul Cayard Winner
1995 United States San Diego No Italian team entered the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup
2000 New Zealand Auckland  Yacht Club Punta Ala Luna Rossa
(IACC ITA-45)
Francesco de Angelis Winner
2003 New Zealand Auckland  Yacht Club Punta Ala Luna Rossa
(IACC ITA-74)
Francesco de Angelis Semifinalist Switzerland Alinghi
 Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia Mascalzone Latino
(IACC ITA-72)
Paolo Cian 9th
2007 Spain Valencia  Yacht Club Italiano Luna Rossa
(IACC ITA-94)
Francesco de Angelis Finalist New Zealand Team New Zealand
 Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia Mascalzone Latino
(IACC ITA-99)
Vasco Vascotto 6th
 Circolo Vela Gargnano +39 Challenge
(IACC ITA-85)
Luca Devoti 9th
2013 United States San Francisco  Circolo della Vela Sicilia Luna Rossa
(AC72)
Max Sirena Finalist New Zealand Team New Zealand
2017 Bermuda Bermuda Luna Rossa entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy but then withdrew in protest.
2021 New Zealand Auckland  Circolo della Vela Sicilia Luna Rossa
(AC75)
Max Sirena Winner
2024 Spain Barcelona  Circolo della Vela Sicilia Luna Rossa
(AC75 v2.0)
Max Sirena Finalist United Kingdom INEOS Britannia

Italy in the America's Cup match

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Three Italian yachts earned the right to challenge for the America's Cup: Il Moro di Venezia in 1992, the first team from a non-English speaking nation to do so, Luna Rossa in 2000 and Luna Rossa again in 2021. In all three occasions, the Italian teams lost to the defending champion.

Year Venue Challenging club Challenger Skipper Score Defender Defending Club Notes
1992 United States San Diego  Compagnia della Vela Il Moro di Venezia V
(IACC ITA-25)
Paul Cayard 1-4 America³
(IACC USA-23)
 San Diego Yacht Club
2000 New Zealand Auckland  Yacht Club Punta Ala Luna Rossa
(IACC ITA-45)
Francesco de Angelis 0-5 Team New Zealand
(IACC NZL-60)
 Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
2021 New Zealand Auckland  Circolo della Vela Sicilia Luna Rossa
(AC75)
Max Sirena 3-7 Te Rehutai
(AC75)
 Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

See also

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References

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  1. ^ LSD (2021-02-21). "Prada Cup Final Day 4: Luna Rossa Crowned and Moves onto the America's Cup". Live Sail Die. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  2. ^ "La storia della America's Cup" (in Italian). giornaledellavela.com. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
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