Harry Melges IV nearly missed the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta in Naples. The American helmsman broke his foot stepping into an inflatable boat during training in the days before the event. On Friday he steered ARC Team USA to victory in the first race of the regatta.
Melges shares the helm of the AC40 with Lucas Calabrese, with Hans Henken and Michael Menninger trimming. “All you need is your head and your hands to sail this boat, so it should be all good,” Melges said at the skippers’ press conference before the regatta.
The opening day on the Bay of Naples tested patience before it tested speed. Light winds delayed racing for more than two hours, and two starts were abandoned before the fleet completed two races.
ARC Team USA finished ahead of Luna Rossa 1, sailed by Peter Burling and Marco Gradoni, in Race 1. Luna Rossa 1 answered by winning Race 2, while the Americans slipped to seventh. Luna Rossa 1 leads on 19 points, with Emirates Team New Zealand and ARC Team USA level on 14.
The day also brought its share of trouble. La Roche-Posay Racing Team capsized at the start of Race 2 during a bear away to avoid starting early. The French crew took no further part in the race, and all were declared safe.
The Americans were not the only team carrying an injury into the regatta. GB1 helmsman Dylan Fletcher arrived in Naples with a black eye after his AC40 hit a Tudor Team Alinghi support boat in training on Tuesday, damaging a foil. Alinghi lent the British team a replacement foil while repairs were carried out.
“The lads didn’t see the RIB in the middle of the course about three minutes before the start. They jibed and unfortunately hit the RIB,” said GB1 CEO Ian Walker.
Four races are planned for Saturday. The two highest-scoring crews after the fleet racing will meet in a winner-takes-all match race final on Sunday. The results do not count toward the 38th America’s Cup, which will be sailed in Naples in 2027.
