Naples prepares for the America's Cup regatta: the Gulf will be the protagonist from September 24th to 27th.

The countdown has begun. Naples is preparing to host the second Preliminary Regatta of the 38th America's Cup, scheduled for September 24-27, following last May's event in Cagliari. These four days will represent the first real competition on the race course that will host the final of the competition in July 2027, Italy's first.

The Gulf of Naples, with Mount Vesuvius in the background, will be the stage for the AC40s, foiling one-designs capable of exceeding 40 knots. The boats are identical: what will make the difference will be crew, tactics, and the ability to make crucial decisions.

Nine AC40s will compete for six teams. Luna Rossa will field two crews and will reunite with Emirates Team New Zealand, which they defeated in the final in Cagliari. Also in the water are GB1, Athena Pathway, Alinghi, La Roche-Posay, and American Racing Challenger Team USA, making their debut in Naples. Team Australia, however, is absent.

The program includes practice races on Thursday, followed by eight fleet races from Friday to Sunday, before the final between the top two boats in the standings. The races will be available for free viewing from the Rotonda Diaz and the Race Village on the Caracciolo seafront, with large screens for spectators.

Anticipation is also growing in the city around the competition. The so-called "terrazzamania" has already kicked in, with short-term rentals for panoramic apartments overlooking the Gulf skyrocketing. Estimates suggest an additional 80 attendees and hotels are nearing full occupancy, in addition to teams and supporters who have been in Naples since the spring.

Work is also in full swing in Bagnoli, on the former Ilva site, which will house hangars and other facilities needed by the teams. The construction site has been accompanied by protests from residents, and even today, a temporary blockade of service trucks was observed.

America's Cup week will also be a major hub of events. Naples and Campania will host initiatives dedicated to sports, young people, the suburbs, and communities, with the participation of Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi and the heads of Sport and Health, Marco Mezzaroma and Diego Nepi Molineris.

In Casalnuovo, the inauguration of a Sport Illumina playground officially paved the way for the regatta. In the evening, the Fondazione dei Quartieri Spagnoli will screen "Mighty Mary," a documentary about the first all-female team to participate in the America's Cup.

Tomorrow, at 6:00 PM, the island of Nisida will host the official opening event of the week, with officials and team representatives. Edoardo Bennato will also perform the official anthem for the 2027 edition of the competition.

On September 23rd, it will be the turn of the Amerigo Vespucci. The symbolic ship of the Italian Navy, during the Naples stop following the world tour, will once again host the America's Cup trophy and the teams competing in the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup.

On September 27, following the awards ceremony at the Rotonda Diaz, Castel dell'Ovo will also take center stage with a three-minute video mapping showcasing the city's 25 centuries of history, ideally paving the way for the 2027 event.

And while the teams prepare for the challenge on the water, Neapolitan sailing clubs are also organizing their own celebrations, building on a tradition that has led several local champions to participate in previous editions of the trophy.