Most of the previous Italian Challenges have been of participation rather than victory.
The first win was in 1992 in San Diego, with the Paul Cayard skippered/Raoul Gardini backed Il Moro di Venezia winning the second race, by just a 3 second margin.
The Italian 12 Metre Azzurra got Italy into the Cup in 1983, winning 24 of 49 races sailed in the Challenger Selection Series laying down a marker both for Italy s participation in the America s Cup, and dragging the Italian population to emote over the America s Cup. Then, as now and always, the Italian entries have always epitomized style. Who could forget those beautiful blue 12 metre hulls? However winning is not the Italians forte, with just two wins in a Match from almost 30 years of America s Cup participation.