America’s Cup: Late-entry deadline extended for potential newcomers for Naples regatta
Everything was quiet on the America’s Cup front when the initial late entry deadline passed on January 31.
Indications and rumours of new challengers potentially emerging came to nought as February arrived.
But it turns out that was more a case of things not eventuating – yet – as any hopeful challengers still to confirm entry have been afforded more time to get their bid in order.
A two-month extension was applied to the late-entry deadline, with teams now having until March 31 – less than two months before the first preliminary regatta – to submit their challenge.
It was an extension agreed upon by the America’s Cup Partnership and it is understood there is more than one hopeful team hard at work to make a Cup challenge a reality.
Only American outfit Riptide Racing have made their hopes of launching a Cup bid public, with top match racing skipper Chris Poole fronting the bid.
“We are not officially challenging, obviously. We are attempting to challenge,” Poole told the Herald in December.
“With American Magic bowing out and the possibility of America not having an entry in the Cup for the first time ever in 175 years, between us and our supporters, we had a discussion, and we came to the conclusion that we think it is achievable to mount a challenge for the 38th America’s Cup.”
Speaking last October, Emirates Team New Zealand chief executive Grant Dalton said hinted at a second Italian challenge being in the works, as well as the potential return of an Australian entry.
Women’s programme takes shape
With Jo Aleh promoted to Team New Zealand’s main America’s Cup crew, there is opportunity for a new face to take the helm in the Women’s America’s Cup in Naples.
The Kiwi crew have been putting prospective team members to work recently, moving them off the simulator and on to an AC40 proper to get a feel for the boat they will be racing in Italy in 2027.
The women’s team will be a mix of established and rising talent. Liv Mackay, who was Aleh’s co-helm in Barcelona in 2024, returns alongside Olympic bronze medallist Erica Dawson, who has been spending time at the wheel lately after working as a trimmer through the last edition.
Double Olympic medallist Polly Powrie – who was crewmates with Aleh for the 2012 and 2016 Games in the 470 class – will also be involved again. Young talents Serena Woodall, Stella Bilger and Helena Sanderson round out the group, with the team now looking to find which combinations work best as they look to improve on their performance at Barcelona, where they were eliminated before the final.
They will have plenty of time for upskilling and development as they work towards the 2027 regatta, although there could be an opportunity for them to earn a place in a second Team New Zealand boat in the preliminary regattas.
All teams are permitted to enter two boats in preliminary regattas contested on AC40s, with one to be manned by the main America’s Cup team and the other to feature sailors from the Youth and Women’s groups.
The first of those regattas is in Cagliari on the Italian island of Sardinia from May 21-24.
Kiwi takes the helm in Italy
Speaking of second AC40s, Kiwi Josh Junior was at the wheel for one of two Luna Rossa AC40s out training recently as the Italian challengers continue their on-water preparations.
Junior joined Luna Rossa for this cycle after three successful campaigns with Team New Zealand. He was in a reserve sailor and coaching role during the Barcelona campaign, and figures to have a similar part to play for the Italians – though the team still have yet to officially confirm his specific role. It’s a similar case with former Team New Zealand skipper Peter Burling, who is also in the Italian stable this time around.
The America’s Cup recon report noted Junior was sailing at the helm alongside Margherita Porro, with Maria Giubilei and Umberto Molineris trimming. Porro and Giubilei were both part of Luna Rossa’s Women’s America’s Cup-winning group at Barcelona, while Molineris was a trimmer on the AC75.
That boat was sailing against the helming team of Ruggerio Tita and Marco Gradoni with Gianluigi Ugolini (Youth America’s Cup winner) and Vittorio Bissarro (AC75 crew) trimming. It is expected Tita and Gradoni will be the ones to usher in a new era for the Italians after both Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni stepped away from their co-helming roles for the new cycle.
Tita and Gradoni helmed the team’s AC40 during the preliminary regatta in Saudi Arabia in the last cycle and were hugely competitive as they finished the regatta as runners-up.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.