Team · Naples

Luna Rossa leads America's Cup preliminaries in Naples as city welcomes 770,000 visitors

Luna Rossa senior holds first place with 51 points after six fleet races in the Gulf of Naples, while local authorities report full hotel occupancy ahead of next year's main competition.

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In brief

Naples · Italy

How it came to this

26 SeptLuna Rossa senior finishes day two atop the general classification
27 SeptFinal preliminary fleet races and the concluding match race take place
May 2027Main America's Cup competition scheduled to open in Naples

Racing standings and fleet action

The senior crew of Luna Rossa secured the top position in the America's Cup preliminary regatta standings in Naples, finishing day two with 51 points across six completed fleet races. Emirates Team New Zealand holds second place with 43 points, followed by Switzerland's Alinghi in third with 38 points. Luna Rossa Youth & Women ranks fourth on 35 points, closely pursued by Arc Team USA with 34 points and the New Zealand Youth & Women crew with 32 points. The French team La Roche-Posay sits seventh with 31 points despite winning two fleet races during the second day of competition, while British entries GB2 and GB1 round out the standings with 29 and 28 points respectively. The French crew missed an opportunity for three consecutive race victories when their AC40 monohull capsized near the finish line during race five, handing that win to the New Zealand Youth & Women team while Luna Rossa senior recovered from an early foil drop to finish second.

Preliminary regatta standings after day twopts

Data from the article text

Tourism influx and city preparations

The preliminary races generated heavy visitor arrivals across Naples, filling local hotels to capacity. The municipal tourism department reported that 770,000 visitors arrived between 22 and 24 September, with urban observatory estimates indicating that approximately 500,000 came specifically to watch the sailing events. With these figures added to the 645,000 visitors recorded over the San Gennaro weekend, total tourism for September is projected to exceed 2,200,000 people. Naples tourism councillor Teresa Armato detailed the preliminary tracking during the regatta weekend.

“In the days just before the preliminary regattas, 22-23-24 September, 770,000 visitors arrived from Italy and abroad, and the figure is still partial; we will communicate the definitive data in the middle of next week.”

Teresa Armato

Municipal authorities installed platforms along the coastal breakwaters, arranged designated spectator boats as floating viewpoints, and set up large video screens on public lawns. Hundreds of spectators also gathered at elevated vantage points across the city, including Via Orazio, Monte Echia, and the Terrazza di Sant'Antonio, while cultural events took place at Casina Vanvitelliana and the Castle of Baia.

Public investment and regional infrastructure

Italian government officials attended the regatta village on Lungomare Caracciolo, framing the preliminary weekend as preparation for the full America's Cup event scheduled from May to July 2027. Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi defended the public financing committed to bringing the regattas to southern Italy.

“I think a judgment must be expressed by the citizens and then by foreigners. From what I see, from the eyes, from the looks, there is happiness, there is satisfaction, there is participation, there is emotional involvement. It means that we have touched the right chords, and this training session alone, which has its own competitive dimension, has demonstrated the good reasons why the Government decided to invest to bring the America's Cup to Italy and to Naples. It is money, it is very significant public investment, but with very high returns.”

Andrea Abodi, italian Minister for Sport and Youth

Campania Regional President Roberto Fico emphasized that the regatta must remain accessible to the broader public rather than an exclusive gathering. Fico noted that ongoing infrastructure projects across Naples, including renovations at the Villa Comunale, frequency upgrades on Line 6 of the metro system, and refurbishments at Parco Virgiliano and the Lungomare, are scheduled for completion before the main regattas begin next year. The preliminary competition concludes on Sunday with final fleet races and a deciding match race between the top two teams.

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