BERTELLI ON THE CUP: Patrizio Bertelli, chief executive officer of Prada SpA and team principal of Luna Rossa Challenge 2013, is determined to succeed with the latest incarnation of the famed yacht. “Victory has always been and remains our goal, and it is with this spirit and motivation that we sail in each regatta,” said Bertelli in an interview on daily La Stampa’s special supplement dedicated to sailing, in conjunction with the international nautical exhibition in Genoa, Italy, running Oct. 6 to 14.
Bertelli said he “also wanted to give a strong signal of the importance and the role of Italy in international sailing.” The entrepreneur lamented the fact that, if not for Luna Rossa, there would have been no Italian competitors racing in the four events of the America’s Cup World Series. “I feel that, at this time, we must demonstrate to the world with facts, not words, that Italy is serious and able to rise to challenges, even the most demanding ones, and to keep its commitments,” said Bertelli.
In November last year, the Prada-sponsored team said Luna Rossa was to once again take part in the 34th America’s Cup, which will be held in San Francisco in September 2013. The total cost of sponsoring the yacht is expected to amount to about 40 million euros, or $52.1 million at current exchange rates.