The evocative notes of the overture to Rossini's William Tell resounded on the terrace of the Bastione Saint Remy in Cagliari for the opening ceremony of the Louis Vuitton - 38th America's Cup Preliminary - Regatta Sardinia .
A large audience was in attendance, including dignitaries such as Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi, Minister of Tourism Gianmarco Mazzi, Angelo Binaghi, President of the Italian Sports Federation (FITP), and Bruno Perra, President of CONI Sardinia. Also in attendance were Mayor of Cagliari Massimo Zedda and Governor Alessandra Todde, Mayor of Naples Manfredi, and President of the Campania Region Roberto Fico.
Also in attendance were Franco Cuccureddu, Regional Councilor for Tourism; Giuseppe Meloni, Councilor for the Budget; Francesco Mola, Rector of the University of Cagliari; Domenico Bagalà, President of the Port Authority; and other civil, military, and sports authorities.
Also sitting in the front row were Marco Mezzaroma, president of Sport e Salute, and Marzio Perrelli, CEO of the America's Cup Partnership.
After the greetings from the authorities, the program once again featured the Cagliari Opera House with its permanent artistic ensembles, orchestra, and choir, directed by Cristiano Del Monte.
As a remarkable soloist, tenor Francesco Demuro, one of the most prestigious voices on the international opera scene, performed. Demuro performed the closing piece, the famous aria "Nessun dorma" from Giacomo Puccini's Turandot. This was followed by a festive procession in traditional dress to the port, the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the presentation of the teams and trophies.
THE STORY OF THE CEREMONY:
The Coast Guard helicopter display closes the ceremony.
The ceremony concluded with a display by the Coast Guard helicopter at the port.
The presentation of the teams and trophies in the Race Village park
Team presentations on the Race Village stage at the harbor. In order, New Zealand, GB1, Luna Rossa (to a standing ovation from the crowd), Alinghi, and La Roche-Posay Racing Team.
The ribbon cutting at the port
The preliminary rounds of the 38th America's Cup officially begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the port.
The city procession among masks, sounds and colors of tradition
The festive procession of popular traditions begins, starting from the Bastion terrace and passing through a short stretch of Via De Candia, Via Università, and the Lions' Gate, before reaching Via G. Mazzini, Piazzetta Martiri, and Viale Regina Margherita, finally reaching Via Roma and entering the port area for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The procession opens with the formation of the Drummers and Trumpeters of Oristano with their typical medieval uniforms, then a representation of the folk groups of the eight Provinces, three masks of the Barbagia “Carrasecare” and the launeddas players.
Minister Andrea Abodi: "Thank you for the welcome."
"Thank you to the Cagliari and Sardinian communities for their hospitality," said Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi. "We conceived and desired this event, and now we are making it happen. We are here with the emotion of our hearts beating; it's wonderful to see the boats on this sea, and it will be wonderful to watch the finals on Sunday. This is the fruit of collaboration between institutions, which I hope will be a source of collaboration for future occasions, in the pursuit of goodness and beauty to create value that is not only economic, but also civic and moral. We are living in a world dramatically marked by the denial of life in all its forms: we are also here to affirm the value of life. We will make the America's Cup, all together, something more than a sporting event."
Alessandra Todde: "Welcome to Sardinia"
Welcome to Cagliari, Sardinia, to the preliminary regatta of the thirty-eighth edition of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup. Today is an extraordinary day for Sardinia and for the entire Mediterranean: when Naples won the right to host the final phase months ago, we immediately thought we could be part of the event. From there, a journey began with a simple message: Sardinia has everything it takes to become an ideal host for this event. We want to be a central and strategic region in the Mediterranean; this is an event much more profound than a simple sporting event.
Gianmarco Mazzi, Minister of Tourism: "Sardinia is an ideal land for sailing and tourism."
"Sardinia is ideal for sailing and tourism," said Tourism Minister Gianmarco Mazzi. "This event will be a great opportunity for a region that, after Cyclone Harry, the Ministry of Tourism is strongly supporting. Sports tourism in Italy is growing rapidly, with 42 million visitors: numbers that demonstrate Italy's ability to attract, as we saw with the Milan-Cortina Olympics, the Italian Open, and the ATP Finals. This is the oldest and most prestigious tournament in the world; for Italy, hosting it means enhancing a historic maritime tradition. With the America's Cup, the images will travel across the globe; we will have to be skilled at captivating international spectators."
Roberto Fico, President of the Campania Region: "A sporting and institutional challenge."
Roberto Fico, President of the Campania Region: "There are two major challenges. The first is the sporting one, which the teams and sailors will face, and then the institutional one for all of us. For the Government, which has guaranteed the America's Cup's arrival in Italy, for the Government, for Sport and Health: leaving a legacy in the region, not just a passing event. We must ensure that there is widespread prosperity and that we can have a major event that will be a healthy economy for our region. This is our major challenge as institutions, and I know we will address it in the best possible way."
Gaetano Manfredi, mayor of Naples: "A beautiful shared journey with Cagliari."
Gaetano Manfredi, Mayor of Naples: "I am truly thrilled and happy to bring greetings from my city here to Cagliari. Thanks to Alessandra Todde and Massimo Zedda, with whom we share so much, to the Government, and to Minister Abodi. It wasn't easy to bring this competition to Italy, but when we Italians set our minds to completing something, we win. We were able to share this wonderful journey with Cagliari, which is a friendly city, and with the Region of Sardinia, which is a friend of the Campania Region. We are heirs to an extraordinary tradition; this sea was the cradle of Western civilization, and we have a responsibility to look to the future. Italy is at the heart of the Mediterranean, a great place of peace and prosperity for all the peoples who live on its shores. It will be a great organizational challenge that we will undertake together with Sport e Salute, but it will also be a great responsibility for us, the cities we represent, and our country. Let's put the sea back at the center of our future."
Marco Mezzaroma, president of Sport e Salute: "A very strong emotion."
Marco Mezzaroma, president of Sport e Salute: "For those coming from Rome, being here in Cagliari, a seaside city like Naples, is always a powerful emotion. This relay race between two pearls of the Mediterranean, Cagliari and Naples, is special. The America's Cup is certainly a challenge, and it was for us when Minister Abodi talked to us about bringing the event to Italy for the first time. It's a sporting challenge, certainly, but also a technological one: it encompasses so many meanings. It's particularly exciting to be here today; the time has come for the sea, the wind, the competition, and the challenge."
Marzio Perrelli, CEO of the America's Cup Partnership: "There couldn't have been a better scenario."
Marzio Perrelli, CEO of the America's Cup Partnership: "From Barcelona 2024 to Cagliari 2026, after two years, the America's Cup boats are racing again. There couldn't have been a better setting to begin; we were welcomed in a fantastic way, with great personality and meticulous organization. This is a land that values its past and history, while also looking to the future, and that's exactly what the America's Cup, the world's oldest competition, does. We must make this cup ever more brilliant, in an ever-evolving sporting and media landscape. Beyond the sporting results, we always strive to leave something behind for the region and to bring women and young people into sport: these are goals shared by everyone. I wish you all a fantastic time; starting today, a crossing from here to Naples begins. Fair winds to everyone."
Massimo Zedda: "Luna Rossa has adopted Cagliari, and we have adopted them."
Massimo Zedda: "Citizens will be able to enjoy the professionalism, skill, and technology of these exceptional vessels. This will be a further driver of development and growth for shipbuilding, boating, and sailing. We thank Luna Rossa for adopting Cagliari, and we have adopted them. The sea is a metaphor for life: when we need it, we must throw a line to save someone. We must have Ithaca as our port of call and resolve people's problems."
Tourism Councilor Cuccureddu: "We're proud of our island's image around the world."
"I extend a sincere welcome to the civil, military, sporting, and religious authorities, and to all those with whom the Department of Tourism has shared the realization of this event. We are truly delighted to have you here in Cagliari; these have been busy months since President Todde and I asked Grant Dalton to host the preliminary regatta," said Tourism Councilor Cuccureddu. "We wanted Sardinia to be part of the first America's Cup awarded to Italy, and we will be in Naples in 2027. It allows us to project the image of our island around the world and to pay homage to Luna Rossa, which has been based in Cagliari for twelve years, and to Azzurra, which, at the behest of the late Prince Karim Aga Khan, was the first Italian boat to launch the challenge. I thank the President of the Region and her staff for their constant support, as well as the employees of my department, the mayor, Sport e Salute, and the ACE staff." During these days, where the teams will be the absolute protagonists, the Department of Tourism has organized a series of events to showcase Sardinia's excellence. Fair winds to the teams and to everyone!