The Naples Preliminary Regatta delivered the kind of finish that reminds everyone why AC40 racing is never truly safe until the boat crosses the line and settles back onto its foils. With the La Roche-Posay Racing Team pushing hard for the finish, a sudden gust from the right side of the course sent their boat rocketing skyward, only for ventilation to strip the foil of grip at the worst possible moment. The bow swung into the wind and the AC40 rolled, upside down, while the rest of the fleet screamed past at speeds north of 40 knots.
Regata News International’s short recap captures the chaos in real time, including onboard audio of the crew’s frustration as they realised there was nothing left to do but watch the race disappear. It’s a brutal reminder of the margins these foiling monohulls operate within — one gust too many and a podium position becomes a recovery operation. You can watch the full sequence, along with commentary on the tight finish between the Italian Youth Women’s team and the French crew, in the Naples Preliminary Regatta highlights.
Why the Naples Preliminary Regatta Matters
This event isn’t just another stop on the calendar. The Naples Preliminary Regatta forms part of the lead-up schedule confirmed for this America’s Cup cycle, and for teams like La Roche-Posay, every race is a data point ahead of the bigger campaigns to come. Capsizes like this one sting in the moment, but they also sharpen crew work and boat-handling under pressure — lessons that carry weight when the stakes rise in Naples again for the second Preliminary Regatta later this season.
Fine Margins on the Water
Elsewhere in the fleet, the footage shows just how slim the gaps are at this level, with Marco Gradoni and Marie Riou’s Italian Youth Women’s team edging the French by roughly half a metre at the line, penalty included. It’s a tidy illustration of how close, and how unforgiving, foiling racing has become.
Video courtesy of Regata News — watch the full video on YouTube.
