Fourth syndicate challenges for America's Cup

Team New Zealand's Peter Burling with the America's Cup. Photo / Greg Bowker

A fourth syndicate has announced it will challenge for the America's Cup in 2021.

Sailing website Scuttlebutt reports that Italian syndicate Sardinia Challenge will join Challenger of Record Luna Rossa (Italy), Ineos Team UK (Great Britain) and American Magic (US) for the Auckland event.

The team will be headed by Renato Azzara, the founder of Sardinia Yacht Services.
The racing team will be headed by Duccio Colombi, winner of 11 Italian Championships, two European Championships, and four World Championships.

In a statement, Sardinia Challenge said the goal was to take the Cup to Sardinia.

''Can you just imagine the AC being held around the Costa Smeralda at the height of the cruising season in 2025? It would be a fantastic event and easily accessible for the whole Superyacht industry to participate in and enjoy. Teams could be entered from Palma, Malta, Monaco etc etc. A new light would shine on the AC.''

The team said it had the backing of the Sardinia Government and Azzara's knowledge of Superyachts was second to none.

''The Government of Sardinia has given the challenge the use of the almost unused G8 summit facilities on the island of Maddalena as a training base until mid-2020; the headquarters will be in Olbia. The whole effort will be transferred to Auckland in New Zealand during 2020.

''The challenge has been named after Adelasia, a mysterious Queen of Sardinia who went through the medieval world glorifying Sardinia, defending it with her love as she lived a life of sacrifice and loneliness in her Castle of Goceano. Adelasia died around 1262 and her tomb was discovered centuries later.''

The Adelasia di Torres Foundation and NAVIGO — the marine association of the Tuscany Nautical Cluster — have signed a memorandum of Understanding to build the boats for the Cup. Tuscany hosts the biggest service centre in Europe for nautical companies and is a district that produces over 30% of the world's pleasure craft over 30m.

The AC 75 race boat will be built in Sardinia and be co-ordinated by NAVIGO.
Key datesJune 30, 2018: Entries for Challengers close
August 31, 2018: Location of the America's Cup Match and The PRADA Cup confirmed
August 31, 2018: Specific race course area confirmed
December 31, 2018: Late entries deadline
March 31, 2019: Boat 1 can be launched
2nd half of 2019: 2 x America's Cup World Series Preliminary Events
February 1, 2020: Boat 2 can be launched
During 2020: 3 x America's Cup World Series Preliminary Events
December 10-20, 2020: America's Cup Christmas Race
January and February 2021: The PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series
March 2021: The America's Cup Match