Since the 1980s, Italy has been a serious challenge contender for the America's Cup. Italian teams have won the Challenger Selection Series three times: the Louis Vuitton Cup in 1992 with Il Moro di Venezia, in 2000 with Luna Rossa and the Prada Cup in 2021, again with Luna Rossa.
Italy thus took on the official role of challenger and gained the right to challenge the defender in America's Cup. However, it was defeated on all three occasions.
Italy in the Challenger Selection Series Italy first participated in the 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup with the yacht Azzurra. Since then, at least one Italian syndicate has entered every edition of the challenger selection series (known as Louis Vuitton Cup from 1983 to 2013 and in 2024, Prada Cup in 2021), except for the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup. While Luna Rossa Challenge had originally entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Cup, it withdrew in protest when the class of boats for the competition was changed without unanimous consent of all participants.
In three occasions, multiple Italian teams entered in the same year: two in the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup, two in the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup and three in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup.
Three Italian yachts ever won the challenger selection series, earning the right to challenge for the America's Cup: Il Moro di Venezia in 1992, Luna Rossa in 2000 and Luna Rossa again in 2021.
Year Venue Yachting club Boat Skipper Result Winner Notes1983 Newport Azzurra(12 Metre I-4) Cino Ricci3rd Australia II1987 Fremantle Azzurra III(12 Metre I-11) Cino Ricci11th Stars and Stripes 87 Italia(12 Metre I-7) Flavio Scala and Aldo Migliaccio7th1992 San DiegoIl Moro di Venezia V(IACC ITA-25) Paul CayardWinner1995 San Diego No Italian team entered the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup2000 Auckland Luna Rossa(IACC ITA-45) Winner 2003 Auckland Luna Rossa(IACC ITA-74) Francesco de AngelisSemifinalist Alinghi Mascalzone Latino(IACC ITA-72) Paolo Cian9th2007 Valencia Luna Rossa(IACC ITA-94) Francesco de AngelisFinalist Mascalzone Latino(IACC ITA-99) Vasco Vascotto6th +39 Challenge(IACC ITA-85) Luca Devoti9th2013 Luna Rossa(AC72) Max SirenaFinalist Team New Zealand2017 Bermuda Luna Rossa entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy but then withdrew in protest.2021 AucklandLuna Rossa(AC75) Winner 2024 BarcelonaLuna Rossa(AC75 v2.0) Finalist INEOS Britannia
Italy in the America's Cup match Three Italian yachts earned the right to challenge for the America's Cup: Il Moro di Venezia in 1992, the first team from a non-English speaking nation to do so, Luna Rossa in 2000 and Luna Rossa again in 2021. In all three occasions, the Italian teams lost to the defending champion.
Year Venue Challenging club Challenger Skipper Score Defender Defending Club Notes1992 San Diego Il Moro di Venezia V(IACC ITA-25) 1-4 America³(IACC USA-23) 2000 Auckland Luna Rossa(IACC ITA-45) 0-5 Team New Zealand(IACC NZL-60) 2021 Auckland Luna Rossa(AC75) 3-7 Te Rehutai(AC75)
See also Azzurra Il Moro Challenge Luna Rossa Challenge Mascalzone Latino +39 Challenge
References
External links Luna Rossa Challenge web site