Three-time America's Cup winner Russell Coutts has been back calling the shots aboard Mascalzone Latino this week in the Italian boat's quest to capture the Sardinia Rolex Cup.
The Naples-based team, which is making its second bid for the America's Cup, was representing host Sardinia in the Farr 40 class. Others taking part in the event included Spain, which won the cup in 2005 with its 'lucky' crew member King Juan
Carlos, Italy, Germany, the United States, Monaco and the Alpe Adria region.
The Sardinia Rolex Cup is organised by the Costa Smeralda Yacht Club and aside from Farr 40, nations compete in the Transpac 52 and Swan 45 classes. The cup is awarded to the country with the best overall score after seven races in each class. A minimum of four races need to be completed to make the cup valid.
The cup will be handed out in a ceremony on Saturday.
Mascalzone Latino was competing against its arch rival in the Farr European Circuit series, Massimo Mezzaroma's Nerone, which beat it by one point in the third series of the circuit, here last week. The Italian boat, however, maintains its overall lead thanks to winning the event in Capri and coming in second in St Tropez, behind Nerone.
Coutts was aboard in Capri and also helped the Italian team win the Key West and Miami Farr 40 race weeks earlier this year. Mascalzone Latino owner-skipper Vincenzo Onorato, who dreams of having Coutts along for next year's America's Cup, entered his team in the Farr championship as a way of training for sailing's most prestigious trophy.
Although the New Zealander won the America's Cup in its last three editions, he will not be defending it in Valencia aboard Switzerland's Alinghi.
