Luna Rossa has entered a high-stakes phase of its 2027 America’s Cup campaign, ramping up AC75 training sessions in Cagliari to finalize its primary crew. Team director Max Sirena is currently managing a fierce internal competition for the left-side helm, forcing a choice between the tactical precision of Ruggero Tita and the aggressive instincts of 22-year-old Marco Gradoni.
The constraints of the 45-day training window
The team is operating under a strict regulatory clock. Official rules limit AC75 training to just 45 days per year, turning every hour on the water into a high-intensity audition. According to giornaledellavela.com, this scarcity of time is driving the team’s urgency to cement its helmsman hierarchy. While the trimmer role remains fluid, the team knows that once the America’s Cup begins, consistency at the wheel is paramount. With Peter Burling locked in as the primary helmsman on the right side, the left-side position remains the only major vacancy.
Because of these time constraints, the consortium led by Patrizio Bertelli announced the roster for the second preliminary regatta 10 days in advance. These preliminary events, held in the Gulf of Naples, serve as a critical proving ground for the AC40s, which function as test beds for the AC75 development cycle.
Tita and Gradoni: Two distinct technical profiles
The selection process pits two vastly different sailing pedigrees against one another. Ruggero Tita, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the Nacra 17 (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), is favored for his ability to deliver under high pressure and his refined boat handling, as noted by giornaledellavela.com. Tita arrived at the team with a decorated history of World and European championship medals, bringing a calculated mindset to the cockpit.
Conversely, gazzetta.it highlights the youthful, aggressive style of Marco Gradoni. A three-time Optimist world champion (2017–2019), Gradoni’s unprecedented dominance earned him the World Sailor of the Year award at just 15 years old, making him the youngest recipient in history. Gradoni has since proven he can push the AC40 to its absolute limits, including executing high-risk maneuvers.
Maria Giubilei joins senior team for America's Cup
Internal competition is being stoked by the promotion of new talent into the senior ranks. Sport.virgilio.it reports that trimmer Maria Giubilei has moved to the senior team, a strategic shift that positions her to fill the mandatory female role required by future America’s Cup regulations. During recent drills, Giubilei has worked consistently alongside a rotation of trimmers including Gianluigi Ugolini, Umberto Molineris, and Vittorio Bissaro. Max Sirena has signaled his approval of this “mix of skills,” viewing the current roster turnover as a necessary step to sharpen performance.
The team also maintains a dedicated Youth & Woman squad, which includes Margherita Porro and Massimiliano Antoniazzi as helmsmen, alongside Maria Vittoria Marchesini and Giovanni Santi as trimmers.
The role of preliminary regattas
The team is using preliminary races in Naples as a vital proving ground. These events offer the only real-world data on speed and crew reactivity, allowing the team to measure the technical “delta” between candidates on the AC40s. Gazzetta.it notes that these performances are critical to determining who will eventually take the starting spots on the AC75. Even team director Max Sirena has acknowledged the potential for a unique crossover, once joking about an invitation for tennis star Jannik Sinner to join the crew, noting there was only one “small (and surmountable) inconvenience” to the request.
The timeline for a final decision
While the pressure to perform is mounting, there is no fixed public date for an official roster announcement. The team intends to use the entirety of its remaining 45-day AC75 training allowance to evaluate the candidates, with the final crew hierarchy expected to emerge as these sessions conclude in the coming months.
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