NAPLES GETS A FIRST TASTE OF THE AMERICA’S CUP… IN 2012 AND 2013

RELIVE THE UNFORGETTABLE ENERGY OF NAPLES 2012

 

Over the practice days and the weekend regattas that included a demonstration ‘coastal race’ as well as both match racing and fleet racing formats, it was officially estimated that over one million spectators lined the outstanding waterfront of Naples to witness some of the closest and most hard-fought racing ever seen in the AC45 catamarans that were used over two years for the World Series, before becoming the class of the Youth America’s Cup in 2013.

More than 500.000 spectators lined the shore of Naples to watch Race Day 3 of the ACWS regatta in 2013 – one of the biggest crowds ever in the America’s Cup. Photo: © Gilles Martin-Raget.

 

Today the America’s Cup is raced in the foiling monohull AC40 and AC75 yachts, but back in 2012 and 2013, non-foiling one-design catamarans were used ahead of foiling becoming ubiquitous after the 2013 America’s Cup where Emirates Team New Zealand innovated and changed the America’s Cup, and sailing, forevermore.

Adding to the competitive fleet, and more than adding to the spectacle was the sight of two Luna Rossa teams that joined the World Series in 2012 and made Naples their starting event in their bid for the 2013 America’s Cup. The series itself had started the year before with events in Cascais (Portugal), Plymouth (UK) and San Diego (USA), but the Italian team spent the winter of 2011 training both in Auckland with Emirates Team New Zealand, and at the former Italian Luna Rossa base in Gaeta, Italy. Coming into the regatta the Luna Rossa Piranha Team and the Luna Rossa Swordfish Team were filled with emerging talent.

LEFT  Luna Rossa entered the Naples regatta of the America’s Cup World Series with two AC45 catamarans. Piranha and Swordfish seen here rounding the windward mark just off the Castel dell’Ovo.   |    RIGHT  Max Sirena (today the CEO of Luna Rossa) together with Grant Dalton (Emirates Team New Zealand) and Prada CEO Patrizio Bertelli. Photos: @ Emirates Team New Zealand / Chris Cameron.

 

The British helmsman Chris Draper, today a key member of the Emirates Team New Zealand afterguard for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup, led the Piranha Team supported by David ‘Freddie’ Carr (formerly of INEOS Britannia), and a young Francesco Bruni – who would go on to become a stalwart in the afterguard of the Luna Rossa teams. For the Swordfish Team, Max Sirena – today the CEO of Luna Rossa – skippered the boat whilst Paul Campbell-James of Great Britain helmed, and the two teams came into the series well prepared but seeking to get match-sharp.

The Italian team’s racing inexperience in the catamarans did little to dampen the enthusiasm, nor expectation, of the crowds who cheered from the promenade around the Bay of Naples and remained glued to the television commentary on large jumbotron screens at various locations dotted along the waterfront. Down at the official Race Village it was packed to capacity daily regardless of the weather conditions – thousands of fans even watched during an April monsoon. By the end of the regatta, the Luna Rossa ‘tifosi’ were in raptures.

The “Auld Mug” in front of a crowd of “tifosi” – local and international fans flocked to Naples to watch the ACWS in 2013. Photo: © Gilles Martin-Raget.

The regattas saw some of the finest catamaran sailing ever. Big winds and a challenging sea state made for electric racing between the nine teams that contested the regatta. Ray Davies, legend of Emirates Team New Zealand, was sailing aboard the hotly-tipped Kiwi team with Dean Barker helming and Glenn Ashby (former winner of the America’s Cup with Emirates Team New Zealand) doing tactics, reflected on the first race in his blog saying: “They have a saying just about everywhere in the world: 'It’s not normally like this.' The wind studies for Naples, done in the months before the regatta, said it would blow over 18 knots only 7% of the time. Well, we found the 7% on the first day. With big waves, really big waves. As could be reasonably expected, there was a bit of destruction. Artemis capsized at the top mark, China Team and Oracle 5 both retired before race two. And the third race was cancelled.”

Windy conditions on the Bay of Naples – Emirates Team New Zealand, helmed by Dean Barker, was the form team of the America’s Cup World Series. Photos: @ Emirates Team New Zealand / Chris Cameron.

 

The spills and thrills totally captivated the audiences from the very outset. A nosedive and subsequent capsize by the Swedish Artemis team, led by skipper Terry Hutchinson, was a reminder to everyone as to just how hard, and destructive, sailing super-charged catamarans in 23 knots of breeze and huge bay waves, can be.

Emirates Team New Zealand steered by former Emirates Team New Zealand helmsman Dean Barker were perennial front-runners and the team to beat throughout the regattas. They were pushed hard by Jimmy Spithill, a multiple America’s Cup winner and helmsman of Luna Rossa in both 2021 and 2024 onboard Oracle 4 with a certain Tom Slingsby in the crew, who went on to not only win the America’s Cup with Oracle Team USA but most recently helmed the NYYC American Magic AC75 in Barcelona.

LEFT   Nathan Outteridge on the helm of Team Korea. Photo: © Gilles Martin-Raget.   |   RIGHT   Naples put on a show – the vibrant cityscape provided stadium-racing at its finest. Photo: @ Emirates Team New Zealand / Chris Cameron.

 

The regattas also saw the launch of other emerging talents such as 49er World Champion Nathan Outteridge, today the skipper of Emirates Team New Zealand for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup, sailing for Team Korea and getting his first experience of America’s Cup racing. Terry Hutchinson, the skipper of NYYC American Magic in both the 2021 and 2024 America’s Cup campaigns, successfully transitioned from one-design and big boat racing into the America’s Cup with the Swedish flagged Artemis Team and memorably scored the Match-Racing Final in 2012 against home-favourites Luna Rossa Piranha who had made the Final at their first attempt.

In the big winds of Naples in April 2012, there was plenty of action that captivated the audiences shoreside. Here, Artemis lies on its side after a dramatic pitch pole at the windward mark. Photo: © Carlo Borlenghi.

 

Further initial success was to come for the adoring Neapolitan fans in light airs of the fleet race finale in 2012. Fingernails were bitten as tension built all around Naples as the Chris Draper-steered Luna Rossa Piranha made the best of the conditions taking the Italian team into the lead and never looked back. The crowds shoreside went wild with delight and the same feat was achieved by the team in 2013 in front of their home fans.

Max Sirena later recalled after the first victory: “I'm very happy with Luna Rossa's victory in Naples. The whole team has done really well; we worked very hard in the last three weeks and are now proud of this result, especially because it is our first time racing with these boats with which other teams have been practicing for over a year.”

@AMERICASCUP

 

Naples was a sea of cheering fans. The Luna Rossa team had done wonders in their first ever time sailing the AC45 catamarans in a regatta and such was the success of the event that it remained on the calendar through to 2013, the year of the 34th America’s Cup. In that regatta, again the Luna Rossa team did remarkably well, finishing second in the Match Racing Final against Tom Slingsby helming Oracle Team USA, and winning the fleet racing again with fan-favourite Francesco Bruni steering Luna Rossa Swordfish.

The biggest winner however was the City of Naples who were the perfect hosts over two memorable regattas in 2012 and 2013 that etched themselves in the memory of all who witnessed them. 

A red moon over Napoli: After watching the 33rd America’s Cup in 2010 from the sidelines, Luna Rossa have found their wind again during the ACWS in Naples in 2012 and 2013. Photo: © Carlo Borlenghi.

 

The official presentation ceremony held in the picturesque Piazza del Plebiscito in the heart of Naples were a sea of cheering people showing an unrivalled passion for the America’s Cup, something that Max Sirena, the CEO of Luna Rossa briefed his team on recently saying: “When we raced in 2012, and luckily enough we won the race there, I never saw so many people. I felt like I was one of the most famous soccer players of my life. Just understand the feeling, it will be a thousand times more than that (in 2027). It’s going to be huge (in Naples).”

Naples hosted two of the most memorable regattas in the America’s Cup World Series in 2012 and 2013. Nine teams contested the racing in the AC45 catamarans. Photo: © Emirates Team New Zealand / Chris Cameron.

The City of Naples delivered spectacularly in the America’s Cup World Series events of 2012 and 2013. The memory of those regattas and the passion showed by the fans was unforgettable for all who witnessed them. They seared into the memory and launched the careers of dozens of modern-day America’s Cup sailors and support team members and Naples for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup is set to recapture that passion once more.

Be there.

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.

All eyes will be back on the beautiful city of Naples as they will host the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup and welcome the world. Photo: © Stefano Albamonte / Comune di Napoli / America’s Cup