The countdown to the second Preliminary Regatta of the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup has entered its final week, with teams completing their preparations on the Bay of Naples ahead of official practice racing next Thursday, September 24.
Nine AC40 teams are due to contest PR2 Naples, with fleet racing running from September 25-27 as the America’s Cup contenders return to competition following May’s opening Preliminary Regatta in Sardinia.
As Afloat previously reported in July, the Naples event will bring together the Cup teams and their Women & Youth crews, while ARC Team USA is set to make its Preliminary Regatta debut.
Final Training on Bay of Naples
Several teams have already been training on the Bay of Naples, with Challenger of Record GB1 among those making final preparations close to the city's waterfront this week.
The British AC40 was sailing off the Lungomare on Wednesday as teams continued to familiarise themselves with a racecourse that could present some significant tactical challenges.
Luna Rossa arrives after its success at the opening Preliminary Regatta in Sardinia, while Emirates Team New Zealand, GB1, La Roche-Posay Racing Team and Tudor Team Alinghi will all be seeking strong performances in the second event.
French Flyer: La Roche-Posay Racing Team foils off the Naples waterfront during final training ahead of the second America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta. Photo: America's Cup
Grecale Could Complicate Naples Racecourse
Early forecasts are pointing towards the possibility of a north-easterly Grecale wind during the regatta.
The local geography could make that particularly significant. Air flowing towards the waterfront can be affected by the steep hills of Vomero and Posillipo, while Castel dell’Ovo at the upper end of the proposed course can potentially block or split the breeze.
Emirates Team New Zealand co-helm Seb Menzies suggested understanding those variations could prove important.
“There’s points on the first upwind which will be extremely crucial and points that won’t be as crucial, which are super-important to know,” Menzies said. “No day’s the same, so how each team can decipher what’s coming and what will be next will be quite cool.”
Final Foil: Emirates Team New Zealand puts its AC40 through its paces on the Bay of Naples as preparations intensify for PR2 Naples. Photo: America's Cup
Lighter conditions and afternoon thermal sea breezes are also possible. Under the event's Race Conditions, the AC40 racing wind range is 7.5 to 21 knots.
Practice Racing Starts September 24
Official practice racing is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, before the points racing begins the following day.
Three fleet races are scheduled on Friday and another three on Saturday, followed by two on Sunday. The leading two teams after the fleet series will then contest a winner-takes-all match race for the Naples title.
Meanwhile, preparations are continuing ashore, with the official Race Village taking shape along Via Francesco Caracciolo.
With one week remaining, Naples represents the next opportunity to assess how the America’s Cup teams are developing as preparations for the 38th edition of the Cup intensify.
