Luna Rossa ITA 86, the fabulous new boat that will carry Italian hopes to challenge Team Alinghi 2007 America's Cup, has been christened in Valencia, Spain. The launching took place on 22nd March at Team Luna Rossa’s brand new base which has been designed by Renzo Piano. Weather conditions saw sunny skies, 22 degrees and a 10-12 knot north-westerly breeze.

As on past occasions Mrs Miuccia Prada was the Godmother of the event; at 12.00 noon she shattered a bottle of Italian spumante “Bellavista”, a sparkling wine, on the boat’s new bow. At Miuccia Prada’s side her husband Patrizio Bertelli, the Managing Director of Gruppo Prada and Head of the Luna Rossa syndicate, Marco Tronchetti Provera, President of Telecom Italia, and Carlo Croce, President of the Yacht Club Italiano. The Auxiliary Bishop and General Vicar of Valencia Monsignor Esteban Escudero were on hand to bless the new boat.

The men and women of the team along with more than four hundred invited guests and members of the press attended the ceremony, appreciating Luna Rossa’s new look. The hull is in fact totally carbon black. The dressed ship, screened by a protective cloth, ITA 86 touched the water for the first time about fifteen minutes later.

After toasting to the new beginning Patrizio Bertelli, Marco Tronchetti Provera, Francesco de Angelis and Carlo Croce took part in a press conference in the hospitality area on the second floor of the base. Carlo Croce kicked off the conference stating “This is when the game gets serious and we can learn something new every day.” Bertelli then added: “Even though this is our third campaign it still is our first time. We have a new partner and this changes the way we face the challenge. This is a completely new moon.”
 

Meanwhile, “In this challenge the best aspects of our country come together; made in Italy and technology. It’s a wonderful Italian adventure which demonstrated our ability to be competitive. We want the boat to win ” stated Marco Tronchetti Provera. Francesco de Angelis then concluded the press conference by saying: “This is a wonderful day because the whole Team can be together…..Launching a boat represents an important leg of our journey, one can reflect upon the work of the whole team formed by designers, boat builders, sailors, meteorologists, sail makers, shore team and….” de Angelis finally added: “We are all already thinking of tomorrow morning when we will hoist the sails for the first time.

The design of the new Team’s new headquarters is based on the idea of using sails of past America’s Cup campaigns. The plan of each single façade is configured as a patchwork of mains and jibs, cut and reassembled on a rectangular warping made by frames. 50 sails, 12 mains and 38 jibs, were used to create the 485 panels, which cover the 3,100 square meter external façade.

Meanwhile Alfa Romeo will be continuing its partnership with the Luna Rossa team as an Official Supplier, providing a range of cars to the team, and will be closely following the races in the Louis Vuitton Cup which the new Luna Rossa ITA-86 boat is now scheduled to take part in between May and July.