AZZURRA: FROM THE SPORTS PAGES TO THE FRONT PAGES
To understand the cultural significance of the Azzurra project, it is key to understand Italy in the early 1980’s. Mired in a stagflationary recession and sharp increases in prices after the oil crisis of 1979, by the early 1980’s Italy needed a morale boost, and its sporting teams were to be the catalyst.
Azzurra footage courtesy of Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
Gianni Agnelli, arguably one of the most famous businessmen in the world who took over the general running of Fiat in 1966, had long held an ambition towards the America’s Cup stretching back as far as 1962 when he had visited his friend, US President John F. Kennedy, even watching the racing from the presidential yacht the Honey Fitz.
By 1964, Agnelli was seriously interested, but issues and obstacles presented by the defender made him ice the proposal, to be re-visited and re-ignited in 1980 when Agnelli corralled fellow Italian sailors and businessmen Pasquale Landolfi and Mario Violati to see what boats were available to purchase after the 1980 Cup in Newport.
The team had set their hearts on buying the American 12-Metre yacht Enterprise that had been a trial horse for the winning Freedom syndicate of Ted Turner and Dennis Conner and, along with Nicola Sironi, an assistant to Milanese naval architect Andrea Vallicelli, met Ed du Moulin of the New York Yacht Club in the September of 1980 to thrash out a deal.
Gianni Agnelli, the CEO of Fiat, had long-held ambitions towards the America’s Cup even watching the racing in 1962 with US President John F. Kennedy in Newport, Rhode Island. Above, Mr Agnelli is joined by the Azzurra sailing team and Riccardo Bonadeo, President of the Azzurra Consortium, and former Commodore of the YCCS. Photo: @Carlo Borlenghi.
However, it was an extraordinary intervention by Prince Karim Aga Khan, following a meeting at his Parisian residence Aiglemont, the following year in 1981 that ignited the Azzurra challenge and opened the most inspiring chapter in Italian sailing history.
With the Aga Khan being President of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, a challenge was issued at the end of April 1981 to the New York Yacht Club and the young entrepreneur Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, latterly the President of Ferrari, came into the fold as a key adviser and manager of the syndicate.
Cino Ricci, the accomplished Romagnolo match-racer was appointed as skipper, the young designer Andrea Vallicelli as naval architect and Marco Cobau of Officine Meccaniche Pesaro as boat builder. What was so key to the Azzurra project was that from the very outset it was to be a ‘100% Made in Italy’ approach, and Ricci immediately set about hiring an Italian crew by placing an advert in the Sailing Newspaper. Mauro Pelaschier, the two-time Olympian from 1972 and 1976, became the obvious choice as helmsman and attained a folk-hero like following almost immediately with his bushy beard and aggressive, natural talent and instinct for making a boat fast.
The Azzurra campaign was noted for its style, flair and sophistication. Pictured here is the sailing team at their Newport, Rhode Island mansion that was rented for the summer of 1983. Photo: @Carlo Borlenghi.
The year of 1982 was, in hindsight, a watershed year for Italy as a country. The soccer team had just won the FIFA World Cup beating Germany in the final 3-1 with Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli and Alessandro Altobelli becoming instant icons. Eight days later, on July 19th, 1982, in the eastern seaport town of Pesaro, Azzurra was launched with its ‘Gli Azzurri’ paintwork, the national colours so beloved and intrinsically linked with the country.
The Begun Princess Salimah, the Aga Khan’s wife, christened the yacht and became its ‘godmother’ – a role she took seriously, becoming a godmother not only to the boat but also the sailors, taking the keenest of interests in them and their families.
A momentous occasion for Italy in the America’s Cup on July 19th 1982 with the launch of Azzurra, in Pesaro, the first Italian Challenger representing the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Photo: @Carlo Borlenghi.
Italy immediately took the Azzurra syndicate to heart and as they set out on their adventure to Newport, and sailing went from the sports pages to the front pages of the national newspapers making instant heroes of the team. When the project was announced, the Aga Khan had stated: "We will face this breathtaking series of regattas with the humility of newcomers but with the conviction that we are worthy of participating.”
What further captured the Italian nation’s attention was the performance of Azzurra. From the outset she was a rocket-ship. Well-tuned and brilliantly sailed with passion and flair, the team had lent on legendary American sailor Tom Blackaller for match-racing experience in the lead-up to Newport and had clearly shown a faster turn of speed than the trial horse Enterprise that the team trained against.
A close fight between Peter de Savary’s Victory ‘83 and Azzurra of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Photo: @Carlo Borlenghi.
By the start of the campaign and facing seven of the strongest ever Challengers in 1983, Azzurra was known to be potent taking scalps all along the way through the opening Round Robins of what was the first ever Challenger Selection Series for the inaugural Louis Vuitton Cup, ending up with a 21-19 scoreline and making the Semi-Finals.
Australia II, the boat that ultimately ended the 132-year winning streak of the New York Yacht Club in the America’s Cup, was the boat that eliminated Azzurra in a final race by 1 minute and 39 seconds but in defeat, the Italian crew had simply no idea of the effect they had had back home.
Higher and faster. Azzurra holds her lane against the 1983 America’s Cup winner Australia II that brought to an end the longest sports winning streak in history - taking the America’s Cup off the New York Yacht Club after 132 years. Photo: @Carlo Borlenghi.
The style that they had shown in Newport, Rhode Island, did not go amiss despite a final tally of 24 wins from 49 races. Azzurra-branded helicopters, a gilded age mansion, lavish parties and a highly recognisable team kit, marked Azzurra as special and their performances on the water made Italy believe that the America’s Cup, the greatest sporting trophy in the sailing world, was within their grasp.
The team left Newport with their plane being diverted to Olbia where they were greeted like rock stars by crowds of people at the airport. It was mayhem but the elan with which the Azzurra team had eluded, resonated deeply with the Italian public and still does to this day. Azzurra was culturally significant, it gave a boost to the nation, and it spawned not only a further challenge for the 1987 America’s Cup but undoubtedly was the catalyst for Italian participation through to the present day.
The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda today honours its youth athletes with the Young Azzurra programme supporting talented athletes across multiple sailing disciplines and the club has competed on the TP52 circuit with Azzurra until 2020. The original 12-Metre yacht from 1983 sits proudly and immaculately in Porto Cervo as the waypoint to where it all began.
Italian challenges for the America’s Cup have been memorable. In 1987, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda became the Challenger of Record with the Azzurra II syndicate, whilst the Yacht Club Italiano fielded the Italia challenge headed by Admiral Angelo Monassi.
Fast forward to 1992 and it was the turn of Raul Gardini’s Il Moro di Venezia challenge that was the first Italian challenger to make it to the Match, only to be ultimately defeated by Bill Koch’s America3 defender. Since that time, Italy has made it to the Match a further two times, in 2000 and 2021, under the patronage of Luna Rossa’s Patrizio Bertelli.
With the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup being held in Naples, the journey to this momentous sporting event has been long. Memorable America’s Cup World Series regattas were held in the city in 2012 and 2013, and as a venue it is world-class with conditions described as “paradise” by CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand and America’s Cup Events, Grant Dalton.
But it was the foresight of His Highness the Aga Khan, Gianni Agnelli, Pasquale Landolfi, Mario Violati and Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, and both the passion of the Italian fans that took Azzurra to its heart and the brilliance of the Italian sailors under Cino Ricci and Mauro Pelaschier, that ultimately set the groundwork for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup – the pinnacle event of the sailing world for the oldest and most prestigious trophy in international sports.
by Magnus Wheatley
The Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup, Naples 2027
For the first time ever the Louis Vuitton Cup and Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Match will be sailed in Italy, a country with one of the most colourful and enthusiastic America’s Cup histories.
In 2027, the world will look to Italy and specifically to Naples, the capital of the Campania region in Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most ancient cities in Europe, as it becomes the Host City for the world’s oldest international sports trophy.
The fight for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup will take place under the watchful shadow of Mt Vesuvius and just off the waterfront of the vibrant city. With a proud heritage and rich history, Italy and Naples offer the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup an unparalleled experience that one way or another is certain to add to the myth, obsession, rivalry and innovation of the America’s Cup.
Photo: © Stefano Albamonte / Comune di Napoli / America’s Cup