USA joins next AC Preliminary Regatta

For the first Preliminary Regatta in Sardinia, many of the America’s Cup teams were light on training time for the 38th edition. However, it has been very different since that May event, and it will be a better measure when all the entrants meet on the line in Naples at the end of September.

Australia and USA, both late entrants, were missing in May but the American Racing Challenger Team USA have confirmed their one-boat entry for Naples. Who will be onboard for the USA is still to be decided but the Americans have been pushing hard in two-boat practice and team selection out of their base in Pensacola, Florida.

With racing in AC40s, teams are allowed two entries with the second crewed by a mix of women and youth, and it was the two Luna Rossa boats in Sardinia that set the benchmark with their stellar performance. But in the intervening period between regattas, the bar is getting raised across the fleet.

GB1, the Challenger of Record, and Athena Pathway have been ramping up the pressure, training out of Cagliari, whilst Emirates Team New Zealand have been hard at work in Auckland before de-camping to Naples for their summer training block with two AC40s – a Principal Team and a Women & Youth Team.

TUDOR Team Alinghi have been hard at work in Barcelona with Paul Goodison leading and will field one senior team again for Naples, whilst La Roche-Posay Racing Team have been training from Lorient in the north-west of France and also will send their Principal Team to the second Preliminary Regatta under the command of Quentin Delapierre.

The format for the regatta stays largely the same as in Sardinia with practice racing on the September 24 for the fleet. Three fleet races are planned for September 25 and 26, with two more on September 27 before the top two boats advance to the final winner-take-all match race.

Details: https://www.americascup.com/

Defender New Zealand and Challenger of Record from Great Britain confirmed the Protocol for the 38th America’s Cup on August 12, 2025. The close of the initial entry period was October 31, 2025, with late entries considered up to March 31, 2026.

Current entrants:
• Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) – Defender
• Athena Racing (GBR) – Challenger of Record
• Luna Rossa (ITA) – Challenger
• Tudor Team Alinghi (SUI) – Challenger
• La Roche-Posay Racing Team (FRA) – Challenger
• American Racing Challenger Team USA (USA) – Challenger
• Team Australia (AUS) – Challenger

After the 2024 event, Barcelona, Spain declined hosting another edition, with the venue moved to Naples, Italy. Challenger racing is May 22 to July 4 before the 38th Match on July 10-19. Full details.

Preliminary Regattas:*
May 22-24, 2026 – Cagliari, Italy
September 24-27 – Naples, Italy

* The Protocol noted how there would be as many Preliminary Regattas as possible, with the intent to have three during 2026 and one possibly in early 2027, and a final event at the Match Venue immediately prior to the challenger series. Only two have been thus far revealed.

Source: America’s Cup