Luna Rossa topped the fleet racing and won the match race final against Emirates Team New Zealand.
Peter Burling spent years at the helm of Emirates Team New Zealand. On Sunday in Naples he beat them. In the match race final of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta, the two AC40s were level through the early part of the race before Luna Rossa pulled clear and held the lead to the finish.
It was Luna Rossa’s second preliminary regatta win of the season, after Cagliari in May. The Italian team had already topped the fleet racing on 71 points, 15 clear of Emirates Team New Zealand on 56, which set up the winner-take-all final between the two.
The biggest climb of the final day belonged to La Roche-Posay Racing Team. The French capsized twice in the first two days and were seventh after six races. They finished the fleet racing third on 48 points.
ARC Team USA, Tudor Team Alinghi and Luna Rossa’s second crew all finished on 44 points, level with Emirates Team New Zealand’s Women & Youth team, which won the youth category.
The preliminary regattas are part of the build-up to the 38th America’s Cup, which will be sailed in Naples in 2027.
Final standings, fleet racing: 1. Luna Rossa 1, 71 (match race winner). 2. Emirates Team New Zealand, 56. 3. La Roche-Posay Racing Team, 48. 4. ARC Team USA, 44. 5. Emirates Team New Zealand Women & Youth, 44 (Women & Youth winner). 6. Luna Rossa 2 Women & Youth, 44. 7. Tudor Team Alinghi, 44. 8. GB1, 42. 9. Cobham Ultra GB2 Women & Youth, 36.
