Podcast: Not everyone left Naples smiling
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Naples brought the crowds, the drama and a taste of what next year’s America’s Cup could deliver. But how much did we really learn from the preliminary regatta?
Neil Cole, Andy Rice, Lewis Smith and Shona Gibson break down the weekend: the atmosphere on the waterfront, what the results tell us about the teams, and why getting a reliable boat onto the racecourse is still part of the competition.
Then we head to Lorient, where Andy explores the heart of French offshore racing ahead of the Route du Rhum. Could Gitana 18 really cover 1,000 nautical miles in a day?
Plus: the World Sailing Inclusion Championships, the Women’s Match Racing Worlds in San Francisco, Lewis’s visit to Oliver Heer Racing, and the debate over offshore sailing’s Olympic ambitions. Could round-the-clock coverage bring new fans to the sport—or do cameras on board come at a cost? What was your biggest takeaway from Naples?
00:00 Coming Up & Welcome
03:47 Naples: Ready for America’s Cup?
08:32 What Did We Learn?
23:57 Who Impressed? Who Must Improve?
29:49 Lorient, Gitana & Offshore Racing
35:22 World Sailing Inclusion Championships
36:02 Women’s Match Racing Worlds
40:10 Inside Oliver Heer Racing
41:14 Offshore Racing’s Olympic Ambitions
46:50 Sailing’s Big Brother Cameras
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