America's Cup: Luna Rossa and the Circolo della Vela Sicilia

Luna Rossa and the Circolo della Vela Sicilia challenge for the 34th America's Cup

Technical and sporting cooperation with Emirates Team New Zealand.

The Circolo della Vela Sicilia of Palermo and the team Luna Rossa Challenge 2013 announce that their Notice of Challenge for the 34th America's Cup, which will be held at San Francisco in September 2013, has been accepted by the Golden Gate Yacht Club

Luna Rossa Challenge 2013 and Emirates Team New Zealand have signed a cooperation agreement until 31st December 2012 which includes full access to all ETNZ design and performance data for this period.

The hulls for the Luna Rossa AC72' will be built in Italy and all other elements will be built in New Zealand in close cooperation with Emirates Team New Zealand.

Luna Rossa's 2012 programme includes the opening of a base in Auckland (New Zealand) for the joint training, the participation in all events of the America's Cup World Series (ACWS) with the AC 45' wing catamarans and the launch of the AC 72' wing catamaran for the America's Cup.

From March 2013 the team Luna Rossa will continue its sporting preparation and technical development of the AC 72' in San Francisco and will participate to all events scheduled for the 34th America's Cup.

PATRIZIO BERTELLI, Team Principal of Luna Rossa Challenge 2013 and CEO of the Prada Group, declared: "I am certain that the co-operation of Luna Rossa with Emirates team New Zealand will produce excellent results, giving to both teams a faster and more effective development both in the technical and in the sporting fields. The choice of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia as challenging yacht club is also significant: I think it is important, in a moment like this, to underline the unity of our country also in the field of culture and sports".

AGOSTINO RANDAZZO, President of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, declared: "It is a true honour for the Circolo della Vela Sicilia to challenge for the America's Cup with a prestigious and beloved team like Luna Rossa. I therefore thank Patrizio Bertelli both for having selected us and also for the reasons behind his choice. I am sure that our challenge will contribute to create a strong spirit of emulation and will attract many young Sicilians to the sport of sailing".

MATTEO de NORA, Team Principal of Emirates Team New Zealand, declared: " I am very happy of this co-operation: since 2000, when they won the Louis Vuitton Cup, Luna Rossa is certainly the most loved and respected foreign sailing team in New Zealand. This partnership will increase the technical value of the teams. We look forward to close co-operation on land and intense rivalry on the water."

GRANT DALTON, managing director of Emirates Team New Zealand, said: "The cooperation with Luna Rossa is another step towards the long-term objective of establishing our team as a provider of technology and services that highlight New Zealand's marine industry expertise. We look forward to sharing our design office resources and co-operating with two such well-respected names in top-level sailing."

The team Luna Rossa was established in 1997 by Patrizio Bertelli, CEO of the Prada Group, with the original name of "Prada Challenge for the America's Cup 2000". At its first attempt the team wins the Louis Vuitton Cup - the challengers' selection series - in 2000, with a record of 38 victories over 49 races. Luna Rossa has participated also in 2003 and in 2007 it reached the Louis Vuitton Cup final. Luna Rossa is currently participating in the Extreme Sailing Series, the Extreme 40' catamarans circuit, where it is leading the overall standings.

Emirates Team New Zealand is the current holder of the Louis Vuitton Cup and is leading the America's Cup World Series. Established in 1985 as the New Zealand Challenge, Emirates Team New Zealand has won both the America's Cup twice and the Louis Vuitton Cup twice. It also participates in the Audi Med Cup and Extreme Sailing Series international racing circuits and will be at the start of the 2011/2012 Volvo Ocean Race with the yacht CAMPER.

The Circolo della Vela Sicilia, founded in 1933, is one of the oldest and most prestigious yacht clubs of the Mediterranean. Its club house is in Mondello, a few kilometres from the centre of Palermo. Throughout the years the Circolo della Vela Sicilia hosted many prestigious national and international regattas, including the J 24 and Star Class European Championships, the Italian Olympic classes Championship and the "Palermo - Monte Carlo" offshore race.

ENDS

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