Italy has one of the most passionate and enduring histories in the America’s Cup. Azzurra’s 1983 debut turned Italian sailing into a national interest. Backed by icons like Agnelli and the Aga Khan, it laid the foundation for today’s Italian America’s Cup campaigns—culminating in Naples hosting the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup in 2027.
The year of 1982 was, in hindsight, a watershed year for Italy as a country. The soccer team had just won the FIFA World Cup beating Germany in the final 3-1 with Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli and Alessandro Altobelli becoming instant icons. Eight days later, on July 19th, 1982, in the eastern seaport town of Pesaro, Azzurra was launched with its ‘Gli Azzurri’ paintwork, the national colours so beloved and intrinsically linked with the country.
Italy immediately took the Azzurra syndicate to heart and as they set out on their adventure to Newport, and sailing went from the sports pages to the front pages of the national newspapers making instant heroes of the team. When the project was announced, the Aga Khan had stated: “We will face this breathtaking series of regattas with the humility of newcomers but with the conviction that we are worthy of participating.”
What further captured the Italian nation’s attention was the performance of Azzurra. From the outset she was a rocket-ship. Well-tuned and brilliantly sailed with passion and flair, the team had lent on legendary American sailor Tom Blackaller for match-racing experience in the lead-up to Newport and had clearly shown a faster turn of speed than the trial horse Enterprise that the team trained against.
By the start of the campaign and facing seven of the strongest ever Challengers in 1983, Azzurra was known to be potent taking scalps all along the way through the opening Round Robins of what was the first ever Challenger Selection Series for the inaugural Louis Vuitton Cup ending up with a 21-19 scoreline and making the Semi-Finals.
Australia II, the boat that ultimately ended the 132-year winning streak of the New York Yacht Club in the America’s Cup, was the boat that eliminated Azzurra in a final race by 1 minute and 39 seconds but in defeat, the Italian crew had simply no idea of the effect they had had back home.
The style that they had shown in Newport, Rhode Island, did not go amiss despite a final tally of 24 wins from 49 races. Azzurra-branded helicopters, a gilded age mansion, lavish parties and a highly recognisable team kit, marked Azzurra as special and their performances on the water made Italy believe that the America’s Cup, the greatest sporting trophy in the sailing world, was within their grasp.
The team left Newport with their plane being diverted to Olbia where they were greeted like rock stars by crowds of people at the airport. It was mayhem but the elan with which the Azzurra team had eluded, resonated deeply with the Italian public and still does to this day. Azzurra was culturally significant, it gave a boost to the nation, and it spawned not only a further challenge for the 1987 America’s Cup but undoubtedly was the catalyst for Italian participation through to the present day.
The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda today honours its youth athletes with the Young Azzurra programme supporting talented athletes across multiple sailing disciplines and the club has competed on the TP52 circuit with Azzurra until 2020. The original 12-Metre yacht from 1983 sits proudly and immaculately in Porto Cervo as the waypoint to where it all began.
Italian challenges for the America’s Cup have been memorable. In 1987, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda became the Challenger of Record with the Azzurra II syndicate, whilst the Yacht Club Italiano fielded the Italia challenge headed by Admiral Angelo Monassi.
Fast forward to 1992 and it was the turn of Raul Gardini’s Il Moro di Venezia challenge that was the first Italian challenger to make it to the Match, only to be ultimately defeated by Bill Koch’s America3 defender. Since that time, Italy has made it to the Match a further two times, in 2000 and 2021, under the patronage of Luna Rossa’s Patrizio Bertelli.
With the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup being held in Naples, the journey to this momentous sporting event has been long. Memorable America’s Cup World Series regattas were held in the city in 2012 and 2013, and as a venue it is world-class with conditions described as “paradise” by CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand and America’s Cup Events, Grant Dalton.
But it was the foresight of His Highness the Aga Khan, Gianni Agnelli, Pasquale Landolfi, Mario Violati and Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, and both the passion of the Italian fans that took Azzurra to its heart and the brilliance of the Italian sailors under Cino Ricci and Mauro Pelaschier, that ultimately set the groundwork for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup – the pinnacle event of the sailing world for the oldest and most prestigious trophy in international sports.
by Magnus Wheatley
