Established 1999 Team principal(s) Patrizio Bertelli Notable sailors Torben Grael | Nation Italy Skipper Francesco de Angelis | |
Yacht club Yacht Club Italiano (1999–2007)
Circolo della Vela Sicilia (2011–) | ||
Luna Rossa Challenge (Italian: literally, Red Moon Challenge), originally named Prada Challenge, is an Italian sailboat racing syndicate first created to compete for the 2000 America's Cup and competing in every America's Cup races since then. The team has won the Louis Vuitton Cup once, in 2000, and therefore was the Challenger for the final America's Cup race against the defending champion team. Since then, it has lost the challenger race series. It is sponsored by Prada, and from 2005 also by Telecom Italia.
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2000 Louis Vuitton Cup
In 2000, the team won the 2000 Louis Vuitton Cup, eventually prevailing 5–4 against AmericaOne (the latter skippered by Paul Cayard) in a tightly contested final, qualified as a challenger in the 2000 America's Cup. The team lost to the defending Team New Zealand 5–0 in Auckland, New Zealand.
2003 Louis Vuitton Cup
In 2003 Luna Rossa competed in the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup to be the Challenger in the 2003 America's Cup but were eliminated by OneWorld in the semi-finals.
2007 Louis Vuitton Cup
In 2007 Luna Rossa Challenge competed in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup to be the Challenger in the 2007 America's Cup and qualified for the finals of the challenger series, after a surprise 5–1 victory over BMW Oracle Racing. On 6 June 2007 Luna Rossa Challenge was beaten in the finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup by Emirates Team New Zealand after conceding 5 defeats and recording zero wins. It was the first time that the Louis Vuitton Cup had been won 5–0.
Louis Vuitton Trophy
In 2009–2010, when the America Cup was in transition, the International America's Cup Class yachts competed in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series and in 2010 they joined the Louis Vuitton Trophy, competing in the La Maddalena event.
2011–2013 America's Cup World Series
Luna Rossa were last to enter the 2013 America's Cup but brought two AC45 to get the team up to speed and compete in the newly developed America's Cup World Series. The boats called Luna Rossa Piranha and Swordfish were helmed by British sailors Chris Draper and Paul Campbell-James to get the team up to speed with multihulls but with a primarily Italian crew.
2013 Louis Vuitton Cup
In order to overcome the late start of the campaign a deal was signed with Team New Zealand to share information on the design of their AC72 catamarans.
2017 Louis Vuitton Cup
The team withdrew from the 2017 Louis Vuitton Cup and therefore from the 2017 America's Cup after a dispute over a change in the rules.