The Prada Cup Challenger Selection Series will be used to determine which of the Challenger teams will take on the Defender Emirates Team New Zealand in the 36th America’s Cup.
From January 15, the three Challengers for the America’s Cup will compete for the first ever Prada Cup and the right to meet Emirates Team New Zealand in the 36th America’s Cup Match presented by Prada.
The three challengers will race for vital points in the first Round Robin of the selection series that consists of four Round Robins of three races each, a seven races Semi-Final and a 13 races Final between the two leading teams. After three years of hard work, they are finally on the water, where speed, tactics and aggression will start to equate to success.
The opening press conference today, with the participation of Patrizio Bertelli live from Tuscany, Italy, expressing his full commitment and passion in this great sailing competition. Not only the Italian fashion house PRADA supports Luna Rossa sixth challenge campaign and the Prada Cup, but it is also the title sponsor of the 36th America’s Cup Match presented by Prada.
“We are surely satisfied of the beginning of the Prada Cup, although sad for the world’s global situation,” said Patrizio Bertelli, CEO Prada Group. “You are privileged to be in Auckland, where you are able to walk around freely without masks, social distancing and other measures while here in Europe and in the United States the situation is quite different and still very serious.
I therefore think that you have a commitment and a responsibility towards the world who is following you to deliver great sportsmanship and sporting event. I trust that you will do so. In Bermuda Matteo de Nora and Grant Dalton asked us to be involved again. I thought it was a good opportunity to bring the America’s Cup back on track: the America’s Cup seemed to have owners and I don’t think the America’s Cup should have owners. It should have Defenders and Challengers, but it should be what it has always been. It’s a very sophisticated event, always sailed with very special boats, but first of all it’s a sporting event. This was an opportunity to give the America’s Cup its identity back.”
The three Challengers competing for the Prada Cup are INEOS TEAM UK skippered by Sir Ben Ainslie, New York Yacht Club American Magic skippered by Terry Hutcthinson and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team skippered by Max Sirena.
For more information, results and how to watch, head to: www.americascup.com.
