Azzurra 12 I 4

Origins & Significance

Azzurra (I-4) holds a landmark place in Italian sailing history as the first Italian yacht to challenge for the America’s Cup. Commissioned by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) and supported by H.H. the Aga Khan and industrialist Gianni Agnelli, Azzurra ignited a national passion for competitive sailing and elevated the sport to the level of football and Formula One in Italy.

The campaign represented a bold leap onto the international stage and marked the birth of Italy’s modern America’s Cup legacy.

Design and Launch

Azzurra is a 12 Metre Class yacht designed by Andrea Vallicelli. She was launched on 19 July 1982 in Pesaro, Italy. Built for strength and reliability with advanced Italian design thinking, she became a symbol of national craftsmanship and innovation.

Shortly after her launch, Azzurra sailed to Newport, Rhode Island, arriving in June 1983 to begin her campaign in America’s Cup waters.

1983 Louis Vuitton Cup

Sailing under the burgee of YCCS, Azzurra competed in the 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup, the challenger selection series for the America’s Cup. Led by skipper Cino Ricci and helmsman Mauro Pelaschier, and supported by a professional shore and management team including Gianfranco Alberini, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, and Riccardo Bonadeo, Azzurra quickly became a fan favorite.

She earned an impressive record, winning 24 of 49 races and finishing third overall in the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals. For a campaign debut, it was a remarkable achievement, establishing Italy as a serious contender in the sport.

The Italian public embraced the challenge with unprecedented enthusiasm, and Azzurra’s performance laid the groundwork for decades of future Italian America’s Cup efforts.

Legacy and Continued Campaigns

The excitement generated by Azzurra in 1983 carried forward into a second campaign in 1987, when YCCS returned to the America’s Cup as Challenger of Record in Fremantle, Australia. A successor yacht, often referred to as Azzurra 3, was again designed by the Vallicelli studio, with Mauro Pelaschier continuing as helmsman.

Azzurra’s pioneering effort inspired future Italian contenders including Il Moro di Venezia, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, and others—cementing her legacy as the origin point of Italy’s storied America’s Cup tradition.

Significance

Azzurra (I-4) did far more than contest races—she introduced Italy to the America’s Cup stage, united a nation behind a sailing team, and set a cultural foundation that still resonates in Italian yachting today. Her story remains one of passion, innovation, and national pride, and she continues to be recognized as one of the most important yachts in European sailing history.