Preliminary Regatta Naples underway with official Press Conference
The second Preliminary Regatta in the lead-up to the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup is underway. For the first time in this edition, the teams will be racing on the Bay of Naples–the same racecourse we will see again in the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America’s Cup Match in 2027. But for now, we will have nine AC40s across six teams who are racing at the Preliminary Regatta Naples.
Today’s opening Press Conference at Castel dell’Ovo in Naples, Italy marked the formal beginning of the second Preliminary Regatta of the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup cycle, with the focus now turning from preparation to competition on the future America’s Cup racecourse.
Against the backdrop of one of Naples’ most recognisable landmarks, sailors and team representatives came together with a feverish gathering of local and international media ahead of the official Practice Day and the highly-anticipated race weekend. The arrival of the America’s Cup in Naples has generated considerable attention ahead of the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup in 2027 with palpable excitement and interest across the city, reflecting the country’s strong passion for sailing and sport.
The Naples Preliminary Regatta brings together nine AC40s across six teams, with American Racing Challenger Team USA now too joining the fleet for the second Preliminary Regatta. Emirates Team New Zealand will again field two boats, with the senior crew lining up alongside the Emirates Team New Zealand Women & Youth crew.
Speaking ahead of the first racing, skipper Nathan Outteridge addressed the most anticipated question around the results in Cagliari, Sardinia, in May, where the senior team scored a second place, and the Women & Youth team displayed a consistent performance resulting in an overall fifth place. “The Sardinia event was the first step in the journey, since then we have had a long list of things we really wanted to work on. We have been in Naples, this great city, for a couple of training blocks already and we’ve really been focussing on the venue and the conditions as well as the process and trying to find ways to get better as a team. At the end of the day, the America’s Cup will be won in July next year, and that is our ultimate goal.”
The team is looking forward to returning to competition in Naples and the challenges presented by the local conditions and fleet. “To get to the Match Race Final, we have got to sail really well in the fleet races. And when you look at the line-up here of all the sailors here, we know it is a challenging event to race in and that also really excites us to race against the best in the world,” said Outteridge.
For Women’s and Youth skipper Jake Pye and the Emirates Team New Zealand Women & Youth crew, Naples represents the next stage in a programme that has already taken them onto the AC40 racecourse in Cagliari earlier this year. The crew is the same but the team will swap the starboard and port positions for this event.
The two-boat entry creates an opportunity for the two crews to share information and compare their experience of the racecourse while competing independently on the water. At only 21 years old, Jake Pye is the youngest skipper among the fleet. “Age itself does not really mean anything, it’s all about performing well, getting our team to the finish line and doing the best we can. I have been learning from all these sailors for a long time now. And it’s a privilege to be racing amongst them here in Naples,” said Pye.
As a team, Pye and his crew approached the regatta one situation at a time: “When we get to the racecourse, it is all about taking one step at a time, and approaching every situation differently each time. We can only take it for what it is–and just do the best we can.”
Yesterday, the America’s Cup also celebrated the re-opening of the ‘Pino Daniele Sports Centre’ in Caivano outside of Naples–an initiative that provides sporting opportunities for young people and the wider community. The event organisation also announced the dates for the fourth edition of the Youth America’s Cup: From 2–6 June 2027. The Youth America’s Cup will once again give youth sailors the opportunity to compete on the international stage and prove themselves among the next generation of the sport. Many of the sailors at Emirates Team New Zealand have successfully competed in previous editions of the Youth America’s Cup and have since become an integral part of the team.
