America’s Cup: Naples passes its Preliminary Regatta test as Luna Rossa looks ahead to 2027

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# America’s Cup: Naples passes its Preliminary Regatta test as Luna Rossa looks ahead to 2027

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The Preliminary Regatta of the **38th America’s Cup** provided Naples with an important test ahead of the main event in 2027. It was also a crucial opportunity for **Luna Rossa**, which ended the competition in the Gulf of Naples with an impressive victory.

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**Max Sirena**, CEO of Luna Rossa Team, and former Italian sailor **Giuseppe Milone** discussed the Naples experience during a Sky TG24 Territori event held at the Palazzo dell’Immacolatella.

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The Preliminary Regatta, staged from **24 to 27 September**, saw Luna Rossa overcome its international rivals, including Emirates Team New Zealand, providing an exciting conclusion for the crowds watching from Naples.

Victory matters psychologically, says Sirena

For Max Sirena, winning in Naples carried significance extending beyond the sporting result itself.

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The Luna Rossa CEO explained that victory was important from a psychological perspective in the confrontation with rival teams. Developing a winning mentality is an essential part of preparing for the challenges ahead.

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The Italian crew had prepared extensively for the Naples event, training in the city throughout the summer in order to study and better understand the racecourse.

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Particular attention was paid to wind conditions. The **Grecale** can make racing in the Gulf especially unpredictable, presenting a demanding technical challenge for both sailors and boats.

A race to remember

Sirena praised the efficiency of the crew and, in particular, the way its members worked together throughout the competition.

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He highlighted Sunday's race as an exceptional example of onboard communication and teamwork — one that could provide valuable lessons for sailors and sailing clubs.

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But the athletes on the AC40 are only the most visible part of a much larger operation.

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Sirena stressed that approximately **130 people** work behind the sailors, day and night, ensuring that the boat and crew can perform at the highest possible level.

Milone: seeing the America’s Cup in Naples was once a dream

For former sailor Giuseppe Milone, a two-time Olympian, seeing the America’s Cup come to Naples represents something that would have been difficult to imagine only a few years ago.

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The event also offers an important opportunity to introduce new audiences to sailing.

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Milone highlighted the many different dimensions of the sport, from technologically advanced racing to ocean crossings. This variety can attract people who have never previously been involved in sailing and, most importantly, encourage younger generations to discover local sailing clubs and take their first steps on the water.

Naples, the sea and a new generation of sailors

The relationship between Naples and the sea was one of the central themes of the discussion.

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The objective extends beyond staging a major international sporting event. The America’s Cup can also become an opportunity to strengthen sailing culture and encourage more young people to develop a direct relationship with the sea.

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Luna Rossa has been working with the **Italian Sailing Federation** for several years to bring more people closer to the sport.

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For Sirena, the sea is a genuine school of life, while Naples — with its history and deep connection to the Mediterranean — provides one of Italy's most powerful representations of that relationship.

The course is already set for 2027

The Preliminary Regatta therefore provided valuable indications on several fronts.

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Luna Rossa was able to test the work of its sailors and the wider team under real racing conditions, while Naples had an opportunity to experience the organisational demands and extraordinary public interest generated by a major international sailing competition.

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But the Preliminary Regatta was only one stage of a much longer journey.

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The course is now set towards **2027**, when the Gulf of Naples will become the stage for the **38th America’s Cup**, bringing the world's leading sailing teams back to the city.

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