America's Cup: Italy with Luna Rossa and Savoia with the Kiwis in Naples

It's a beautiful story and deserves to be recorded. It's the all-Neapolitan America's Cup derby. L'Espresso, then Dagospia, wrote about it. Following the news of Luna Rossa's decision to raise the pennant of the Circolo della Vela e del Remo Italia, bidding farewell to the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, with the goal of establishing a base and a yacht club in Naples, the chosen venue for the next Cup challenge, it was learned that the city's other renowned (but less ancient) sailing club, bordering Italy, both on the Santa Lucia dock, overlooking Castel dell'Ovo, has twinned with the Italian team's longtime rivals, Team New Zealand, the current Defender.

Some grumbling was raised, so much so that the president of Savoia, Fabrizio Cattaneo della Volta, was keen to point out that the relationship "between the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri and Team New Zealand dates back to 2017/2018" and that that agreement "did not materialize within the usual timeframe due to the uncertainties generated by the pandemic"; an agreement that "found new life with the awarding of the America's Cup to Naples". A dialogue, the president specifies, which "culminated in the official twinning agreement signed in early July 2025 and which we will officially announce on July 15th, on the anniversary of the founding of our Club (1893)."

It should be remembered that Savoia had lent the pennant to the two Coppa adventures of Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino, in 2003 and 2007. Another rival of Luna Rossa.