La Roche-Posay Racing Team has become the first America's Cup challenger to launch an AC75 and sail it on the waters of Naples, a significant moment for the French team as they build towards the Louis Vuitton Cup.
The team spent the summer training out of Lorient in north-western France, but getting the boat to Italy was no simple matter. They weighed up several options, including an aircraft transporter and even a helicopter transfer, before settling on road and sea. The AC75 eventually travelled by 'Convoi Exceptionnel' to the port of Sète on France's south coast, then by barge to Naples.
The boat is a sister-ship to Taihoro, the AC75 that won Emirates Team New Zealand the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup. It arrived in Bagnoli just ahead of the Preliminary Regatta and was craned across to the team's new base without a hitch. Since then it has been fitted out and brought up to racing condition, with the team planning to train through the Mediterranean winter ahead of the Louis Vuitton Cup, which starts on 22 May 2027.
The team opened its Bagnoli base to local dignitaries and the wider America's Cup community for the launch and first sail of the yacht they hope will bring the America's Cup to France for the first time in its 175-year history.
The contrast with the last campaign is stark. In Barcelona, La Roche-Posay Racing Team was last to launch, forever chasing the clock. This time they are first on the host venue's waters.
The sailing team turned out in force to meet the visiting officials: skipper Quentin Delapierre, co-helm Diego Botìn, and trimmers Jason Saunders, Leigh McMillan, Florian Trittel and Maëlenn Lemaitre. Team coach Philippe Presti was there too, alongside Amélie Grassi, Enzo Balanger and Timothé Lapauw.
Presti spoke to the gathered crowd from a sailor's perspective. "I'm extremely proud to be in front of you, especially below this beautiful piece of engineering. And when you see this boat, you see a nice paint job, you see a beautiful sponsor, you see a shell of carbon. But what we all see, all the guys in the shed, in the loft, we see the thousands of hours of hard work to make it happen. And we know it's going to be a long way to the America's Cup. We are eight months full on to make this boat sail as fast as possible. But we're super proud to be here in Naples. We were the last one coming to Barcelona. We're the first one to be here in Naples, and we want to use every hour to make a difference in the end. Thank you so much."
Dino Falconio, Deputy Commissioner of Bagnoli, welcomed the French challenger. "Congratulations to La Roche-Posay Racing Team on the maiden launch of the AC75 boat in the waters off Bagnoli. For the Government Commission, it is a source of great pride that we are at an advanced stage in completing the technical base area... All of this has been made possible through the excellent institutional collaboration between the Government, the City of Naples, ACE and Sport e Salute, and public and private operators, all united by a common goal of collective value. The Government Commission is fully committed to delivering this major sporting event. Furthermore, our work aims to provide a strong impetus towards the environmental remediation of Bagnoli. So far, the groundwork has been excellent. Let us continue to move forward together, united in the name of sport, the public interest in urban and social regeneration, and sustainable development. I wish you fair winds and following seas."
Luigivalerio Sant'Andrea, Real Estate and Infrastructure Director of Sport e Salute, added his own account of the lead-up. "I bring greetings from our board of directors, from the chairman here in the front row and from the chief executive, to give a brief account of the inter-institutional effort and the work that has been carried out over recent months, I must say with excellent results, because, in the end, our French friends have managed today... Pushing so hard. That is indeed how it was. Weeks, months and days of intense work, but today we have finally managed to launch this boat. On behalf of Sport e Salute, I would of course like to thank the government commissioner and all the institutions present here, including ACE and all the teams, because this is obviously a task we must undertake together, one we have undertaken together and will continue to undertake together in a spirit of synergy, to achieve this tremendous goal: the organisation of the event in 2027."
Under Secretary of State Luigi Sbarra placed the launch within a wider regeneration push. "The America's Cup, as has already been said, is an event of extraordinary international importance that brings together sport, technology and innovation. But here in Bagnoli, let me say, it takes on an even greater significance, because it forms part of a journey, a wonderful project and an institutional synergy that has been underway for several years, aimed at setting in motion a process of genuine regeneration and development for the area. This is a process initiated and supported by the Meloni government, which in July 2024 allocated over 1.2 billion euros from the Development and Cohesion Fund to be spent on infrastructure regeneration and the redevelopment of this area, a project that has been awaited for decades."
Gaetano Manfredi, Mayor of Naples, was also on hand for what he called a historic and highly symbolic occasion. "Today, the first boat, the first AC75, is being launched from Bagnoli. The French team is now fully operational. Over the coming days, other teams will continue to set up base in the city. A huge effort, but also a great achievement. At last we are seeing Bagnoli come to life, with major teams arriving and these stunning racing boats, as we draw closer to the America's Cup. This is a crucial step towards the regeneration and, as it will be, the free enjoyment of one of the city's most beautiful spots, which has been off-limits for 35 years."
