The second preliminary regatta of the 38th America’s Cup officially gets underway in the Gulf of Naples, bringing high-performance foiling action to the waters off Via Caracciolo from September 24 to September 27. Following the inaugural event held four months prior in Sardinia, six international syndicates and nine AC40 monotypes have gathered in Italian waters for fleet racing and a high-stakes match-race showdown, with live television and streaming coverage managed by Sky Sport and Rai.
Racing takes place daily within a crucial afternoon window from 14:00 to 16:00 local time (UTC+2), utilizing identical one-design AC40 foils capable of clearing the water and reaching speeds in excess of 45 knots (over 80 km/h). According to organizers and event previews, teams race on equal terms where success depends entirely on crew coordination, tactical maneuver execution, and local wind reading rather than boat design disparities, as syndicates prepare for the eventual development of their AC75 hulls.
Local fans and analysts have focused attention on Italian challenger Luna Rossa, which enters the Naples event racing on home waters after securing victory at the opening preliminary regatta in Cagliari. For the Naples stop, Luna Rossa fields two distinct boats to field both its senior roster and its youth and women’s contingent simultaneously. The senior entry deploys a notable helming partnership featuring Peter Burling alongside Marco Gradoni, supported by trimmers Gianluigi Ugolini, Maria Giubilei, and Umberto Molineris. The second Luna Rossa boat is crewed by the Youth and Women’s team members Margherita Porro, Massimiliano Antoniazzi, Lorenzo Sirena, Maria Vittoria Marchesini, Giovanni Santi, and Alice Linussi.
Alongside the Italian syndicate, the fleet features nine total boats representing six international sailing programs. Emirates Team New Zealand enters two AC40s, Great Britain’s GB1 and Athena Pathway program fields two boats, Switzerland’s TUDOR Team Alinghi competes with one boat, France’s La Roche-Posay Racing Team enters one boat, and the American Racing Challenger Team USA features a single entry, while Team Australia sits out this specific preliminary round as their equipment remains unready for the water.
The four-day schedule opened with a practice day on Thursday, September 24, featuring official trial races followed by an evening team presentation on the main stage at 18:30 local time. Fleet racing runs through Friday and Saturday, culminating on Sunday, September 27. The final day features the last two fleet races between 14:00 and 15:25, followed immediately by a decisive match-race showdown from 15:27 to 16:00 pairing the top two teams from the overall standings in a direct head-to-head duel before the official awards ceremony at 18:30.
Substantial local preparations accompanied the sporting fixture. Municipal transit agency ANM announced an enhanced service plan adding over 300 additional public transport runs across the weekend to manage spectator crowds traveling along the waterfront. High-level institutional presence also marked the opening days, with three government ministers traveling to Naples to observe the racing and local wind conditions across the gulf.
For viewers following from home, live television coverage is broadcast in clear on Rai 2, while pay-TV subscribers can watch via Sky Sport Max. Streaming options include the official America’s Cup YouTube channel, Rai Play, Sky Go, and NOW, alongside dedicated live text updates provided by sports outlets.
The next confirmed checkpoint for the event concludes with Sunday’s final match race and the podium presentation on September 27, followed by post-regatta analysis programs scheduled for Monday evening, September 28.
Related reading
