Azzurra is a yacht racing

Yacht racing

Yacht racing is the sport of competitive yachting.While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held world-wide: speed motorboat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; model yachting; and navigational contests Yacht racing...

 team that competes in America's Cup

America's Cup

The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...

 style sailing out of the yacht club

Yacht club

A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to sailing and yachting.-Description:Yacht Clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there are some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations...

 Yacht Club Costa Smeralda

Yacht Club Costa Smeralda

Yacht Club Costa Smeralda was established by the Aga Khan in 1967. It is situated at Porto Cervo in Costa Smeralda, northern Sardinia and provides services for recreational sailors....

.

Early history

Managed by Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and funded by Aga Khan IV

Aga Khan IV

Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM is the 49th and current Imam of the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims. He has held this position under the title of Aga Khan since July 11, 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan...

 and Gianni Agnelli

Gianni Agnelli

Giovanni Agnelli , better known as Gianni Agnelli , was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce, and 16.5% of its industrial investment in research...

, Azzurra began to compete in 1982. They competed in the 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup

1983 Louis Vuitton Cup

The 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup was held in Newport, Rhode Island, United States in 1983. The winner, Australia II, went on to challenge for the 1983 America's Cup.-The teams:-Australia II :...

 in Newport with Azzurra (I-4), but were not able to advance to the 1983 America's Cup

1983 America's Cup

The 1983 America's Cup was the occasion of the first winning challenge to the New York Yacht Club who had successfully defended the cup over a period of 132 years...

. Ambrosini

Ambrosini (aircraft manufacturer)

SAI Ambrosini was an Italian aircraft manufacturer established in Passignano sul Trasimeno, Italy in 1922 as the Società Aeronautica Italiana. It became SAI Ambrosini when it was acquired by the Ambrosini group in 1934. Prior to World War II, the firm built a number of light touring and racing...

 was involved with the construction of the yachts. Skippered by Cino Ricci and with Mauro Pelaschier on the helm, the original Azzurra team won 24 of 49 races and developed a large and loyal following in Italy.

After finishing fifth in the 1985 World Championships with Azzurra II (I-8) Azzura financed the construction of two more boats for the America's Cup

1987 America's Cup

The 1987 America's Cup was the twenty-seventh challenge for the America's Cup and the first time for 132 years that it had not been defended by the New York Yacht Club....

, Azzurra III (I-10) and Azzura IV (I-11). The yacht club was the challenger of record for the challenge, and did a very impressive job organizing and administrating the two-hundred and twenty-three races of the Louis Vuitton Cup

1987 Louis Vuitton Cup

The 2nd Louis Vuitton Cup was held in Fremantle, Australia in 1987. The winner, Stars & Stripes, went on to challenge for and win the 1987 America's Cup.-The teams:...

. Their own boat did not advance out of the round robins section of the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup.

Azzura did not compete in the 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup

1992 Louis Vuitton Cup

The 3rd Louis Vuitton Cup was held in San Diego, United States in 1992. The winner, Il Moro di Venezia, went on to challenge for the 1992 America's Cup.-The teams:...

 which was instead won by another Italian syndicate, Il Moro di Venezia

Il Moro di Venezia

Il Moro di Venezia was the name for five International America’s Cup Class boats built for the 1992 Italian team, Il Moro Challenge, headed by industrialist Raul Gardini...

.

Re-birth

The team was relaunched for the Louis Vuitton Trophy, with the aim of competing in the 34th America's Cup

34th America's Cup

The 34th America's Cup will be sailed in 2013 in San Francisco, California with 72-foot wing-sail catamarans. Golden Gate Yacht Club is the defender of the America's Cup, after their racing team, BMW Oracle Racing defeated the Swiss Alinghi team of Société Nautique de Genève in the 2010 America's...

. Azzura won the first series in Nice Côte d’Azur

Louis Vuitton Trophy Nice Côte d’Azur

The Louis Vuitton Trophy Nice Côte d’Azur was the first in a series of regattas that form the Louis Vuitton Trophy. The regatta was held in Nice between 7 and 22 November 2009...

, defeating Team New Zealand

Team New Zealand

Team New Zealand is a sailing team based in Auckland, New Zealand representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.Team New Zealand has become a household name in their home country following their consecutive wins in the America's Cup in 1995 and 2000...

2-0 in the final.

External links

• Official website
• Azzurra at LouisVuittonTrophy.com