America’s Cup in Naples: who will be there and Burling’s crazy idea with Luna Rossa

The announcement of the America’s Cup in Naples was a storm that prompted hundreds of comments on the web, there was no shortage of enthusiasm obviously at the idea of hosting the oldest sporting and sailing trophy, but there are of course also those who raised concerns about the whole operation.

Doubts that meanwhile concern the number of teams that will actually be present. And it is this, and other important rumors, that we are going to talk about in this in-depth discussion.

America’s Cup in Naples – Who will be there

The first to have given official confirmation for the America’s Cup in Naples, after a few months of silence, within hours of the Naples announcement, were the French K-Challenge, already present in Barcelona as Orient Express Racing Team.

In addition to the defender and organizer Team New Zealand, the presence of Luna Rossa, which recently renewed its partnership with Pirelli, and which we will discuss in more detail in a moment, is of course a given. Alinghi red Bull Racing seemed out of the picture, but on the Swiss side the situation seems to be fluid: they like the choice of Naples; in fact, Alinghi has been the first to bring the Cup to Italy since the 2007 Louis Vuitton ACT in Trapani. Grant Dalton, in a statement to New Zealand media, said he knows for sure that the Swiss team’s recruitment is going ahead. Watch out, then, as Bertarelli remains at the window, waiting to learn more about what the official constraints of the new protocol will be when it comes to sailing team nationality.

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American Magic will be in the game, although enthusiasm from the New York Yacht Club is lukewarm, and then there is the subject of Artemis Racing. The Swedish team has repeatedly expressed interest in taking part in the America’s Cup, but has never formulated an official challenge after past participations (2012 and 2017). There is speculation that it might buy a design “package” from Team New Zealand, as the French did in the last edition. Nothing, however, is currently confirmed.

Chapter apart is the challenge of record, Ben Ainslie with Athena Racing. Their participation would not be in question, but there is still not enough budget available and time is short. Situation to be monitored, but the British should be confirmed.

Thus, a situation with four certain challengers looms: Luna Rossa, K-Challenge and American Magic. To which Athena Racing would most likely be added, barring any resounding surprises that would also call into question the role of the Challenge of Record. Alinghi and Artemis remain an unknown, but something could move in the coming weeks. Plausible that by early summer any new challenges will be made official; after that there will be no time.

Luna Rossa and Peter Burling

Here we enter the realm of Fanta vela, but perhaps no more than that. A phone call between Max Sirena and the New Zealand star appears to have actually taken place, Sirena also admitted this between the lines in a recent interview with La Repubblica. After all, the two know each other well; Max was on Team New Zealand at the time of Burling’s first Cup victory, in Bermuda in 2017.

What they said to each other over the phone is easy enough to guess: someone like Peter Burling, a three-time America’s Cup winner in a row, the best possible helmsman and developer there is for the AC 75, is not going to be on the market for long, so with Max Sirena they talked business and the possibility of a role in Luna Rossa.

What role? It is too early to say, much will depend on the opportunity offered by the new Protocol. It seems that there will be an opening to a couple of members in the sailing team from outside the nationality, but probably on the condition that they did not take part in the last America’s Cup. An anti-Burling rule in short, who after all seems very focused on his family, Sail GP and his activities to protect the environment of the Oceans. He is not racing to redo the Cup.

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For Luna Rossa this would not be a big problem as it already has the helmsmen in house: Marco Gradoni, Ruggero Tita, Gianluigi Ugolini, there are no difficulties on this front and the talent is not lacking. Burling, however, can be instrumental in the design of the boat and its development, to try to close that gap that is still there, net, compared to the defender. And that could include a perhaps “part time” role, leaving him room for SailGP and his other activities.

Would this be seen as treason in New Zealand? Possible, but it is part of the game of professionalism, and it has already happened in the Cup. After all, relations between the Kiwi super star and Team New Zealand management are rumored to have been less than perfect even before the Cup in Barcelona.

One thing is certain, it is going to be a hot summer; the America’s Cup in Naples has already begun.

Mauro Giuffrè