Luna Rossa at Preliminary Regatta Naples Overall
by Luna Rossa Team 27 Sep 11:30 PDT
25-27 September 2026
Race Day 3 of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup Preliminary Regatta © Ian Roman / America's Cup
Luna Rossa Senior triumphs in Naples in front of a cheering crowd. Luna Rossa Y&W second in the dedicated standings.
A grand finale in Naples for the second Preliminary Regatta of the 38th America's Cup, with Luna Rossa Senior claiming victory and, after Cagliari, also taking the title at the Naples event. The crew of Peter Burling, Marco Gradoni, Maria Giubilei and Gianluigi Ugolini claims the trophy after dominating the fleet racing series and the final match race, demonstrating the exceptional level of the Italian crew.
A disappointing outcome for Luna Rossa 2, which sees the Y&W title slip away after three days of hard-fought racing and consistent performances. Tied on points, the Italian team has to give way to the New Zealand crew, which wins the tiebreak after finishing ahead in the final race. The team of Margherita Porro, Massimiliano Antoniazzi, Maria Vittoria Marchesini and Giovanni Santi ends the Preliminary Regatta Naples with some disappointment, but also with the knowledge that it fought head-to-head against more experienced crews.
Naples celebrates the Italian victory, with thousands of spectators turning out to follow the Preliminary Regatta both from shore and on the water. Three days of racing gave the city its first taste of what is to come in 2027, when the America's Cup returns to the Gulf of Naples for its 38th edition.
Race 7
Another masterful race by the Luna Rossa Senior crew, which starts on the far left side of the course and immediately gains an advantage over its rivals, defending its position at the first mark. Clean maneuvers and an excellent reading of both the racecourse and the weather conditions from the boat helmed by Peter Burling and Marco Gradoni, who consolidate their lead all the way to the finish, securing a place in the final match race. A disappointing result, however, for Luna Rossa 2, which, after sailing consistently with the leading group in fourth place, loses ground on the final leg and finishes the race in seventh.
Luna Rossa 1: 1st place (+10 points)
Luna Rossa 2: 7th place (+4 points)
Race 8
Although already certain of a place in the final, Luna Rossa Senior delivers an exemplary race, remaining in the lead from the start and building a significant gap over the rest of the fleet. Burling and Gradoni, like true professionals, take nothing for granted, sailing with pinpoint precision even at 40 knots and constantly covering their rivals all the way to the finish line, which they cross with a lead of almost 20 seconds. Luna Rossa 2, meanwhile, is penalized at the start and fights throughout the race to recover the lost ground, managing to gain several positions and finishing the race in sixth place.
Luna Rossa 1: 1st place (+10 points)
Luna Rossa 2: 6th place (+5 points)
Match Race - Luna Rossa vs Emirates Team New Zealand
A textbook match race by Luna Rossa, showcasing all the experience of Peter Burling, a three-time America's Cup winner, perfectly supported by Marco Gradoni in this head-to-head battle against ETNZ. Starting ahead by one boat length, the Italian boat sails a flawless upwind leg, pushing ETNZ toward the course boundary and constantly covering its rival. Downwind, Luna Rossa remains in control of the race, preventing the Kiwi boat from escaping its dirty air and tight cover. Luna Rossa's advantage increases at every gate, eventually translating into a 17-second lead at the finish. Another outstanding performance by Peter Burling, Marco Gradoni, Maria Giubilei and Gianluigi Ugolini, who claim a commanding victory in the Preliminary Regatta Naples.
Winner: Luna Rossa
"I am truly very happy with this victory", said Max Sirena, CEO of Luna Rossa. "On the one hand, it demonstrates that we have a highly talented group, with people who are perfectly interchangeable across different roles, and on the other, it is a reward for the work we have done over the past few months, running two programs simultaneously with the AC75 and AC40 between Cagliari and Naples. The guys have been extraordinary: the level of our opponents was very high and the racecourse was anything but easy to read. The new crew lineups worked as we had expected. The Senior Team confirmed itself as the benchmark, while the Y&W Team, which has only just been formed and has had little time to develop its chemistry, showed that it is nevertheless on the same level as the other challengers. Of course, there were a few mistakes, but they are part of the normal growth process. Congratulations to everyone. And congratulations to Naples, a wonderful city that, as I expected, added something special to the event. The support from the people of Naples definitely gave us a few extra knots."
"At the end of these three days, which for us and for the entire city actually began a long time ago, we are extremely happy", said Roberto Mottola di Amato, President of the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia. "Congratulations to the winners from Luna Rossa, to the Y&W team, which competed on equal terms with very strong opponents, and congratulations to Naples, which showed a side of itself that many Italians and many sailors have never seen. Images of the event will travel around the world, making this a great invitation to come to the 2027 America's Cup. We hope this is the beginning of a fantastic season. We have many great activities ahead of us, always alongside Luna Rossa."
The Luna Rossa crews racing today were as follows:
Luna Rossa 1 - Senior Team
Peter Burling (helmsman)
Marco Gradoni (helmsman)
Maria Giubilei (trimmer)
Gianluigi Ugolini (trimmer)
Luna Rossa 2 - Y&W Team
Margherita Porro (helmswoman)
Massimiliano Antoniazzi (helmsman)
Giovanni Santi (trimmer)
Maria Vittoria Marchesini (trimmer)