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Prada Challenge

'The fact that they have returned to the Cup from last time with the same people, the same designers and crew, means they will be very strong again,' says Bruno Troublé of Louis Vuitton.

PRADA CHALLENGE
Country: Italy
Yacht Club: YC Punta Ala
Syndicate Head: Patrizio Bertelli
Skipper: Francesco de Angelis
Design: Prada Design Team
History: Louis Vuitton cup winner 1999, losing challenger America's Cup 2000

INTERVIEW: ROMOLO RANIERI

Romolo Ranieri is a grinder in Prada’s sailing team. During his stay in New Zealand, he has found the people to be very friendly.

SEND A PRADA CHALLENGE POSTCARD

Want to support your favourite team? Create your own Prada Challenge e-postcard and send it to your friends! Or how about some Prada Challenge wallpaper on your desktop?

SEE WHERE PRADA CHALLENGE ARE BASED

Having all the Challengers housed together on syndicate row is a world first. Visit the American Express Viaduct Harbour and check out where Prada Challenge fit into the picture!

THE COMPETITION

The America's Cup regatta. What? Where? When?

THE CHALLENGERS

With the Louis Vuitton Cup predicted to be the best ever in its 149 year history. Who are the nine challengers?

THE DEFENDER

Team New Zealand, defender of the 2003 America's Cup. The Facts and Figures.

The red moon, Luna Rossa, is rising above Auckland once again. Prada, the Italian syndicate that made it all the way to the America's Cup on its first attempt in 2000, has returned for a second assault on the Auld Mug.

Prada bowmen at work during the CORM trials, March 2002.

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Patrizio Bertelli, head of the Prada fashion empire and the Prada cup campaign, has beefed up his sailing team this time, bringing in foreign sailors for the first time.

Once again, Prada has two new America's Cup yachts - bearing the sail numbers ITA-74 and ITA-80, but better known as the Luna Rossas.

Prada has spent more time in Auckland than any other challenger, but in the Southern Hemisphere winters the team returned back to Italy and the Tuscany base of Punta Ala.


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Italian hero Francesco de Angelis is once again skipper of the Prada boat, but the role of helmsman has yet to be decided. De Angelis says it could be shared between himself and New Zealand sailors Gavin Brady and Rod Davis, who have become Italians under the Cup's nationality rules.

In the last America's Cup, Prada won the right to challenge Team New Zealand after winning the Louis Vuitton Cup in a cliffhanger from AmericaOne. But in the cup match, the defender was too strong, winning 5-0.

This time, Prada has successfully lobbied to have a month-long gap between the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America's Cup, to give the challenger more time to prepare.

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Prada Challenge