Gradoni and Giubilei promoted as Luna Rossa reveal Naples squad

Luna Rossa have named their sailing squad for the Naples Preliminary Regatta, with youth and women's talents Marco Gradoni and Maria Giubilei both promoted into the senior ranks ten days out from racing.

The Italian challenger confirmed the line-up as it prepares to leave its temporary base at the Palumbo Superyachts Refit yard in Naples for Nisida, where it will train through to the preliminary regatta, due to start on 24 September.

For the senior team, Luna Rossa 1, Peter Burling and Ruggero Tita remain the established helming pair, having won the Preliminary Regatta together in Cagliari back in May. 

They are now joined by Gradoni as a third option, leaving the team with three helmsmen competing for two seats on the AC40, with final line-ups to be “decided on a daily basis” rather than fixed in advance.

It is a similar story in the trimming department. Umberto Molineris keeps his place from Cagliari, but Vittorio Bissaro has been dropped. In his place come Maria Giubilei and Gianluigi Ugolini.

Ugolini had been a reserve alongside Federico Colantonio in Cagliari, and it is Ugolini, not Colantonio, who remains on the roster, with Colantonio absent from the Naples list altogether.

The pairing of Giubilei and Ugolini adds an interesting subplot, given the two are Nacra 17 world champions and partners away from the America's Cup programme. Between them, they now make up two-thirds of Luna Rossa 1's trimming options, leaving the team with one helm and one trim reserve to call upon each day.

Luna Rossa 2, the Women and Youth entry, sees plenty of movement too. Margherita Porro stays on as one of the team's helms, and could yet find herself in the starboard hot seat given her performance in Cagliari.

Three sailors are in the mix for the port helm role. Maria Vittoria Marchesini, who operates as both helm and trimmer, gives the team flexibility and looks the likeliest candidate to rotate between roles rather than lock down one seat.

Massimiliano Antoniazzi, who was a reserve alongside Marchesini in Cagliari, steps up and looks a good fit for port helm. 

Then there is the addition of Lorenzo Sirena, son of Luna Rossa chief executive Max Sirena, who makes the squad for the first time.

Giovanni Santi returns as a trimmer having held the role in Cagliari, while the vacancy left by Giubilei's promotion looks set to be filled by either Marchesini or Alice Linussi, who joins the trimming roster.

Gradoni and Giubilei have earned their step up to the senior programme on the back of winning the Youth and Women's title in Sardinia, and Bissaro's omission will raise a few eyebrows. 

But with Burling seemingly nailed on for one senior helm spot, the fight for the second seat, between Tita and Gradoni, is shaping up as the story to follow through the preliminary regatta.

Max Sirena, Luna Rossa's CEO, said he was "very satisfied with the work" done over the summer, with the team running two demanding programmes in parallel, the AC40 campaign in Naples and the AC75 effort in Cagliari, before easing into the final phase of preparation ahead of racing on the 24th.

Luna Rossa 1 (Senior team)

Helms: Peter Burling, Marco Gradoni, Ruggero Tita
Trimmers: Maria Giubilei, Gianluigi Ugolini, Umberto Molineris

Luna Rossa 2 (Youth and Women's team)

Helms: Margherita Porro, Massimiliano Antoniazzi, Lorenzo Sirena
Helm/trimmer: Maria Vittoria Marchesini
Trimmers: Giovanni Santi, Alice Linussi