LUNA ROSSA’S YOUNG GUNS

Luna Rossa’s training today in Cagliari, just as in other sessions recently, saw some interesting rotations particularly in the boat that it is assumed will field a 50/50 split of youth and women sailors at the Prelim Regatta. Marco Gradoni, very much the coming force in Italian sailing, has been leading the training from the starboard pod that is usually the skipper designated position and from where he famously and sensationally won the Youth America’s Cup back in Barcelona in 2024.

Marco’s talent and speed is unquestioned and is only getting race sharpened and honed with the opportunity to sail day after day against the likes of Peter Burling and Ruggero Tita who are looking the most likely pairing in the ‘open’ boat. Who joins 22-year-old Marco, is a great question. Margherita Porro, the Women’s America’s Cup winning co-helm from Barcelona 2024 is arguably the most likely and for sure, Margherita has been afforded a decent chunk of wheel-time in recent sessions.

Margherita has been on the sailing world’s radar since a young age. As a youth she won the world title in the O'pen Bic, RS Tera and RS Feva Classes before transitioning to the 29er class where she won the World and European titles. In 2017 she began sailing on foiling boats, including the Waszp, and then switched to the mixed catamaran Nacra 17 as helmswoman, winning the Italian Championship and second place at the U24 Worlds in 2022. Maria also has a Sports Sciences degree.

Maria Giubilei is almost certain to support with Margherita as a trimmer and has been a regular rotation into the AC40 in recent sessions. Maria is known throughout sailing for her incredible performance in the Nacra 17 with Gianluigi ‘Gigi’ Ugolini having been two-time World Vice-Champion (2021 and 2022), three-time U24 World Champion (2018, 2019 and 2021), two bronze medals at the European Championships (2022 and 2023) and Gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Test Event. Just to top it off, Maria has a degree in Philosophy too!

One name though that keeps arising is that of the young but highly talented Massimiliano ‘Max’ Antoniazzi, who is still a trialist at this point but has featured in almost all of the recent sessions. Max has risen fast through the ILCA world, winning a silver medal at the Youth Europeans and competing in the Melges 24 and Switch foiling dinghy classes. Max is vying for a coveted spot on Luna Rossa with fellow trialist Giovanni Santi, another very rapid sailor who has come through fast on the 29er and 49er circuit at Youth level.

Luna Rossa really does have talent at all stages throughout its sailing operations, a real depth, and with coach Josh Junior overseeing development closely, it will be fascinating to see who makes the final team line-ups in Cagliari from 21-24 May 2026.

TUESDAY 24^th MAY 2026 TRAINING REPORT
Conditions: 7-14 knots NW. Flat water all day.
Comments / Objectives: Started the day with the J2 but changed to J3 very soon after. Separate boats for warming up the crew. We then moved to some drills Upwind and Downwind and some full, one lap races. One more break for changing crew on Boat2 (Bissaro for Giubilei) and batteries on both boats and put the J2 on both boats. Wind slowly dropping after 10:30am. 

Second session: we did 6 more races with the wind slowly dropping and way more shifty. One more break at 11:35 where B2 changed crew with Max Antoniazzi going onboard as helm. Did some upwind drills to finish the day. B2 sailed a bit longer then B1 at the end of the day, around 30min more.
Crew B1:
Tita
Burling
Ugolini
Molineris

Crew B2:
Gradoni
Porro
Santi
Giubilei

Swaps: Bissaro (B2)  and Antoniazzi (B2)