Women at the helm as America's Cup preliminary regatta opens in Naples
Margherita Porro stood before the press on the terrace of Castel dell'Ovo, the only woman among nine skippers presenting their teams for the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup Preliminary Regatta. From tomorrow through Sunday, the AC40 foiling monohulls will race off via Caracciolo, and Porro will be at the helm of Luna Rossa Women and Youth.
"It's a beautiful message for all women: we are ready," Porro told reporters. She noted that having at least one woman on each Luna Rossa boat marks a step forward for the sport. Maria Giubilei will serve as trimmer on the senior Luna Rossa boat, a role Porro said her teammate had earned through sustained work.
The dynamic has shifted since the 37th America's Cup introduced the Puig Women's America's Cup in Barcelona. For the 38th edition, every competing team must include at least one woman onboard. Technological advances in foiling monohulls — where electronic controls have reduced reliance on raw physical strength — have opened opportunities for female sailors to prove themselves at the highest level.
Luna Rossa boss demands strong start
Max Sirena, managing director of the Italy-based Luna Rossa team, made clear that his squad is not in Naples just to participate. "Anyone who is here wants to win," he told reporters at Castel dell'Ovo. "It's important from a media point of view and from a sporting point of view."
Fleet races begin tomorrow at 14:00. Sirena emphasized that a clean start is critical — beginning in clear air with speed allows a team to control its own race, while a poor start forces competitors to react to others. He noted that both Luna Rossa crews are fast and should be able to recover if needed.
Galleering at home, Sirena added, will be an advantage. Seeing Italian flags along the waterfront beats facing a wall of foreign supporters. He said the team must win over Neapolitans and Italians by being respectful and showing them the event will have concrete benefits beyond the regatta.
Defending champions target improvement
Nathan Outteridge, skipper for Emirates Team New Zealand, said he feels no unusual pressure despite the team's status as reigning champions. "The team has very high standards," he said, standing alongside his son Jake. "What excites us today is being here to race against the best in the world."
The Kiwis finished second in the preliminary regatta in Cagliari last May. Outteridge called that event a useful first step, after which the squad drew up a list of areas to improve. They have spent time training in Naples in July and September, focusing on process rather than results.
Ultimately, he noted, the America's Cup will be won in July next year. This weekend is part of the buildup.
A floating island and a city transformed
A new structure now floats off Lungomare Caracciolo, near the aquarium and the Villa Comunale. Sport e Salute designed and built the pontoon — 37 meters long and 30 meters wide, weighing roughly 1,000 tonnes — to host up to 100 people during events. It arrived at dawn and will serve as a meeting point between land and sea throughout the regatta.
The installation is part of a broader transformation. The long-abandoned ex-Italsider steelworks in Bagnoli — described by Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi as "a wound of Italy" — is being regenerated to host team bases in 2027. Abodi said the site, dormant for four decades, will reconnect the western district with the coastline and provide residents with new access to the sea.
Beyond the waterfront, the legacy includes taking sailing inland. Yesterday, 350 children tried sailing in a pool at the Pino Daniele sports center in Caivano, a facility once described as a "theatre of horrors" and now rebuilt as a community hub. Abodi said the goal is to spark curiosity in young people who live far from the coast.
English team signs partnership with historic Naples club
The Circolo Canottieri Napoli has become the official host club for GB1, the British challenger backed by the Royal Yacht Squadron. Club president Giancarlo Bracale signed the partnership agreement alongside GB1 managing director Ian Walker, with Sir Ben Ainslie — four-time Olympic gold medalist — present. The Royal Yacht Squadron issued the first America's Cup challenge in 1851.
Naples is now in the spotlight. Preliminary races run from Friday to Sunday, with the main America's Cup match scheduled for spring and summer 2027. Abodi said the city could even bid to host the 2029 edition, while for now the focus remains on delivering what has already been assigned.
