Surprise in Cagliari: Luna Rossa's youngsters ahead of everyone
Marco Gradoni and Margherita Porro at the helm with trimmers Maria Giubilei and Giovanni Santi won two out of three races held and are firmly at the top of the leaderboard of the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta Sardinia, the first event in the road to America's Cup
The Cagliari race course gave us three amazing regattas by Luna Rossa's Youth and Woman crew: always solid, always in the top positions. Marco Gradoni and Margherita Porro at the helm with trimmers Maria Giubilei and Giovanni Santi won two regattas out of the three held and are firmly at the top of the classification of the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta Sardinia, the first event in the road to America's Cup. Not to be forgotten are the seniors who, perhaps less incisive, still have second place in the ranking. The seniors are all valuable guys: Peter Burling with three editions won and two Olympic medals, Ruggero Tita with two Olympic golds and then the trimmers Umberto Molineris and Vittorio Bissaro. But a backstory must be told.
Since before the 2024 edition in Barcelona, Marco Gradoni was always reported as the fastest with simulator (a fundamental tool for these races) and on board AC 40s. After all, he and Margherita won the Youth and Women America's Cup. In third place was Emirates Team New Zealand, who won the second of the three regattas by misjudging the finish of the third. So far the sport... But against the backdrop of Cagliari there is also the economic and logistical background of the new organisation with the AC Partnership. For an event that moves more than a billion euros, it becomes a sensitive topic. Marzio Perelli, managing director of the America's Cup Partnership and ACE Italy was on his first public outing during the event, and in a discussion with journalists he recounted his background built mainly in finance and then eight years at Sky Sport with the largest portfolio of sports rights in Europe. He said: "I have only been here for six weeks, I am learning... but I know that the America's Cup has an inimitable story that is its strength. We have to ensure the continuity of this unique fable, but make it attractive in a world that has changed. The partnership between the teams comes at the right time to enhance this asset as it needs to be enhanced. All the ingredients are there to do it".
Marzio Perelli emphasised that today the world of sport can no longer ignore finance. "Years ago sport did not fit into a financial programme, today it is a masterclass. But the management of sport has become so important that it can no longer do it alone and needs the help of finance. To think that sport is merely a promotional vehicle where new finances must come in is trite. The three sources of revenue for the America's Cup are the host, then the host country, television rights and sponsors. We have to work to grow all three of these sources. I see this edition that is starting as a transitional America's Cup that we need to build a more stable and structured system.
The theme, for the organisation of the Cup, is to move from a situation where the big tycoons in the hunt for notoriety but 'money spending' to a model that even makes it profitable for teams to participate, to become 'money gaining'. The real model of the new Cup is the NBA circuit, plus Formula One. In the Cup, the teams are partners, while the F1 circuit has independent ownership. By registering for the Cup, actually launching the challenge, one becomes a partner. There is no limit on the number of teams, although around ten is the sustainable target.
The one who has let go of the traditional winner's grip on the organisation is Gran Dalton, leader of Emirates Team New Zealand and ACE, the body that has so far managed the burdens and honours of the Cup. He is, with Matteo de Nora, the "master" of the Cup. And when asked if he regrets leaving such a strong role, he says: "It can be difficult to give up everything you have already built. I mean the next America's Cup is already all set from an organisational point of view and it is a good starting point for the next edition in 2029. But now I like to think that I can dedicate more time to the team again and winning for the fourth time in a row will be difficult. I am now entrusting my child to someone and saying: please take care of him. I have been running it for nine years, it is quite logical to take a step back. However... I am staying president.
