Racing

2013 America’s Cup World Series, Naples

Veteran Sailing World contributor and America's Cup historian Steve Tsuchiya is in Italy for the sole America's Cup World Series stop in 2013. He's taken two rides on AC45s during practice and is catching the regatta from shore and on photoboats. Here's his first gallery.

By Sailing World Staff

Updated: April 19, 2013

Click here to visit the second gallery.

Under the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Training day in Naples, Italy on April 11. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Race Day One. April 18. Oracle Team USA, skippered by Olympic Gold medalist Tom Slingsby, finished second on the first fleet race and then sixth in the second fleet race, achieving an overall fourth in the regatta rankings. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

The crew of Oracle Team USA preps their AC45 for the practice race. April 16. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Oracle Team USA Slingsby. Left to Right: Piet van Nieuwenhuijzen (bowman), Kinley Fowler (jib trimmer), Sam Newton (wing trimmer), and Tom Slingsby (skipper). Not shown: Rome Kirby (runner). Practice race, April 16. The Naples ACWS marks the first time Slingsby has skippered an AC45 in a regatta; when he returns to Oracle’s base in San Francisco next week, he will resume his role as tactician aboard the team’s AC72. Slingsby won a Gold Medal in the Laser Class for Australia at the London Olympics last year. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Oracle, in hot pursuit of Emirates Team New Zealand, is followed by Artemis Racing and China Team. Practice race, April 17. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Sam Newton (right) trims the wing, while Piet van Nieuwenhuijzen (bowman) and Kinley Fowler (jib trimmer) trim in the gennaker on the downwind leg. Practice race, April 16. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Oracle’s coach, Darren Bundock, runs a debrief for Team Ben Ainslie and Oracle Team USA after the practice match race on April 16. Counterclockwise, starting at Left: Bundock, Tom Slingsby, Ben Ainslie, Rome Kirby, and Sam Newton. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Emirates Team New Zealand finished first and fourth in the first two fleet races of the series which began on April 18. After the first day, they are ranked second behind Team Ben Ainslie by just one point. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Dean Barker at the helm of ETNZ on the practice races on April 17. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Ray Davies (tactician) hoists the gennaker as they approach the top gate. Practice race April 17. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

ENTZ. Practice race. April 17. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Glenn Ashby (trimmer) is an Australian multihull expert who has won 14 world championships over three multi-hull classes. Prior to joining ETNZ, he was the head coach of BMW Oracle’s successful challenge for the 2010 match. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

The pair of Luna Rossa boats and HS Racing. Practice race April 17. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Oracle Team USA, Luna Rossa Swordfish, and Artemis Racing approach the port windward gate. Fleet Race Two. April 18. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Marty Yates, ETNZ’s IT manager, joined the team in October 2011. Prior to that he worked in the technology field for Air Zealand, IBM, and other firms. In Naples, his primary responsibility is to help the team in a variety of shore work, from driving one of the team’s tenders to helping return the AC45 to the team base. Here, Yates manages a bow painter to ease the AC45, suspended by a crane, onto shore. April 17. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Yates and others help place the AC45 on a rolling cradle. April 17. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Yates and others lower the wing to wash it and store it at the team base. April 17. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

ETNZ’s Tyson Lamond, the boat captain and rigger, washes the wing, April 17. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

The shore crew removes the port daggerboard of ETNZ. April 17. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Daisy Priestley, a member of ETNZ’s administration team, organizes ID badges for guests. Daisy describes her role as “filling the gaps” by serving as a floater: helping the chef, ordering supplies, organizing guest activities, shopping for food, among other objectives. Priestley, who grew up in Dubai, joined the team six months ago, her job since graduating from University of Liverpool in the UK. She combined her interest in a career in event management and her passion for ETNZ by contacting the team on her own accord last year. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Harry Lynskey, ETNZ’s head chef (right) and assistant chef, Serge Power (left) prepare meals for the team and its guests. They operate in a mobile kitchen located in the back of the team’s tent. Lynskey slices salami for guests the team is hosting the next day, while Power cooks a sauce for the braised beef for the team’s dinner. Lynskey, a native New Zealander, who mastered the culinary arts by working at restaurants in Wellington, is a veteran of four Cup campaigns before joining ETNZ: he worked for AmericaOne in 2000, BMW Oracle in 2003 and 2007 and Team Origin. He enjoys working for sailing campaigns because “I enjoy the healthy lifestyle, travel, sports, and working towards a finite goal.” Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Serge Power, the assistant chef, of New Zealand, was flown-in to assist Lynskey. The two chefs prepare a wide variety of meals, serving foods as Lynskey said, “keeping the fat down and have higher protein than what the average person” may consume. Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya