# Italy at the America's Cup

Since the 1980s, Italy has been a serious challenge contender for the America's Cup. Italian teams have won the Challenger Selection Series three times: the Louis Vuitton Cup in 1992 with Il Moro di Venezia, in 2000 with Luna Rossa and the Prada Cup in 2021, again with Luna Rossa.
Italy thus took on the official role of challenger and gained the right to challenge the defender in America's Cup. However, it was defeated on all three occasions.

## Italy in the Challenger Selection Series

Italy first participated in the 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup with the yacht Azzurra. Since then, at least one Italian syndicate has entered every edition of the challenger selection series (known as Louis Vuitton Cup from 1983 to 2013 and in 2024, Prada Cup in 2021), except for the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup. While Luna Rossa Challenge had originally entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Cup, it withdrew in protest when the class of boats for the competition was changed without unanimous consent of all participants.
In three occasions, multiple Italian teams entered in the same year: two in the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup, two in the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup and three in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup.
Three Italian yachts ever won the challenger selection series, earning the right to challenge for the America's Cup: Il Moro di Venezia in 1992, Luna Rossa in 2000 and Luna Rossa again in 2021.
| Year | Venue | Yachting club | Boat | Skipper | Result | Winner | Notes |
| 1983 | Newport | Yacht Club Costa Smeralda | Azzurra (12 Metre I-4) | Cino Ricci | 3rd | Australia II | |
| 1987 | Fremantle | Yacht Club Costa Smeralda | Azzurra III (12 Metre I-11) | Cino Ricci | 11th | Stars and Stripes 87 | |
| 1987 | Fremantle | Yacht Club Italiano | Italia (12 Metre I-7) | Flavio Scala and Aldo Migliaccio | 7th | Stars and Stripes 87 | |
| 1992 | San Diego | Compagnia della Vela | Il Moro di Venezia V (IACC ITA-25) | Paul Cayard | Winner | | |
| 1995 | San Diego | No Italian team entered the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup | No Italian team entered the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup | No Italian team entered the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup | No Italian team entered the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup | No Italian team entered the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup | No Italian team entered the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup |
| 2000 | Auckland | Yacht Club Punta Ala | Luna Rossa (IACC ITA-45) | Francesco de Angelis | Winner | | |
| 2003 | Auckland | Yacht Club Punta Ala | Luna Rossa (IACC ITA-74) | Francesco de Angelis | Semifinalist | Alinghi | |
| 2003 | Auckland | Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia | Mascalzone Latino (IACC ITA-72) | Paolo Cian | 9th | Alinghi | |
| 2007 | Valencia | Yacht Club Italiano | Luna Rossa (IACC ITA-94) | Francesco de Angelis | Finalist | Team New Zealand | |
| 2007 | Valencia | Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia | Mascalzone Latino (IACC ITA-99) | Vasco Vascotto | 6th | Team New Zealand | |
| 2007 | Valencia | Circolo Vela Gargnano | +39 Challenge (IACC ITA-85) | Luca Devoti | 9th | Team New Zealand | |
| 2013 | San Francisco | Circolo della Vela Sicilia | Luna Rossa (AC72) | Max Sirena | Finalist | Team New Zealand | |
| 2017 | Bermuda | Luna Rossa entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy but then withdrew in protest. | Luna Rossa entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy but then withdrew in protest. | Luna Rossa entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy but then withdrew in protest. | Luna Rossa entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy but then withdrew in protest. | Luna Rossa entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy but then withdrew in protest. | Luna Rossa entered the 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy but then withdrew in protest. |
| 2021 | Auckland | Circolo della Vela Sicilia | Luna Rossa (AC75) | Max Sirena | Winner | | |
| 2024 | Barcelona | Circolo della Vela Sicilia | Luna Rossa (AC75 v2.0) | Max Sirena | Finalist | INEOS Britannia | |

## Italy in the America's Cup match

Three Italian yachts earned the right to challenge for the America's Cup: Il Moro di Venezia in 1992, the first team from a non-English speaking nation to do so, Luna Rossa in 2000 and Luna Rossa again in 2021. In all three occasions, the Italian teams lost to the defending champion.
| Year | Venue | Challenging club | Challenger | Skipper | Score | Defender | Defending Club |
| 1992 | San Diego | Compagnia della Vela | Il Moro di Venezia V (IACC ITA-25) | Paul Cayard | 1-4 | America³ (IACC USA-23) | San Diego Yacht Club |
| 2000 | Auckland | Yacht Club Punta Ala | Luna Rossa (IACC ITA-45) | Francesco de Angelis | 0-5 | Team New Zealand (IACC NZL-60) | Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron |
| 2021 | Auckland | Circolo della Vela Sicilia | Luna Rossa (AC75) | Max Sirena | 3-7 | Te Rehutai (AC75) | Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron |