38TH AMERICA’S CUP: LA ROCHE-POSAY RACING TEAM LEADS THE WAY WITH THE FIRST AC75 LAUNCH IN NAPLES

Naples, 19 October 2026 – La Roche-Posay Racing Team is setting the stage for the 38th America’s Cup in Naples. As the first team to launch its AC75 in the bay that will host the competition in 2027, the French Challenger marks a major milestone in its campaign. Following an initial period of sailing in Lorient this summer, the team continues its preparations with an AC75 adapted to the regulations of the 38th America’s Cup and a strengthened crew. A new sporting and technological chapter now begins for La Roche-Posay Racing Team, determined to establish the French challenge among the world’s leading teams.

The first AC75 on the water in Naples: a landmark moment for the French Challenger

On Monday 19 October, at 2 pm, La Roche-Posay Racing Team’s AC75 returned to the water in front of partners, guests and media gathered for the occasion. Moments later, the foiling monohull set off on its first sail in the Bay of Naples, with Mount Vesuvius as a spectacular backdrop. A stunning setting, but above all a powerful symbol: these are the very waters where the 38th America’s Cup races will take place in 2027.

For the French Challenger, this first launch in Naples is far more than a ceremony. It represents the culmination of months of preparation and the beginning of a new phase of the sporting campaign. As the first team to bring its AC75 to the future race venue, La Roche-Posay Racing Team is now getting down to business.

Sporting the colours of its Title Partner, La Roche-Posay, the nearly 23-metre AC75 has been adapted to meet the requirements of the 2027 regulations. Already established in Naples, the team can now build up its sailing programme, put technical developments to the test in real conditions and accelerate its progress.

Quentin Delapierre, Skipper of La Roche-Posay Racing Team:
“Seeing our AC75 on the water here in Naples is a very special moment for the entire team. We are sailing on the very waters where the America’s Cup will be decided in just a few months, and suddenly everything feels much more real. An enormous amount of work has gone into this launch, with so many people giving their all to get us here today. As skipper, I feel incredibly proud to represent the French challenge. Now, more than anything, we want to get out sailing, get this boat flying and make the most of this journey towards 2027.”

The countdown is on: six months to take the next step

The challenge on the water is immense. The America’s Cup is a unique competition where sailing talent, technological expertise and the ability to improve quickly all make the difference. Every day on the water counts.

Under the sporting leadership of Philippe Presti, a two-time America’s Cup winner, the French team has welcomed two Olympic champions, Diego Botín and Florian Trittel, joining skipper Quentin Delapierre and the other talented sailors within the squad.

The preparation programme is built around three complementary areas: sailing, performance analysis and development, and simulation. This is supported by dedicated match racing training and the search for the strongest crew combinations. The objective is to turn every sailing session into measurable progress in a race against time towards the 2027 competition.

Philippe Presti, Sporting Director of La Roche-Posay Racing Team:
“We have shown in the AC40 that we can compete with the best on equal terms, which is very encouraging. But the America’s Cup is also a technological competition, where boat development plays a decisive role. The next six months will be crucial in unlocking the full potential of our AC75 and continuing our progress. We have strengthened our team and there is still significant room for improvement. Our ambition is to take a step forward from Barcelona and fight for a place in the final four, which would be a historic achievement for a French Challenger.”

Maelenn Lemaître, Strategist aboard La Roche-Posay Racing Team’s AC75:
“What drives me most is the desire to get better every day and improve quickly. This is my very first America’s Cup, and I’m discovering and learning so much every day. There are many challenges, both technological and sporting, but the biggest challenge is time. It really is a race against the clock. My personal goal is to absorb all this new knowledge as quickly as possible so I can bring my skills as a match racing tactician and engineer to the team and perform at my best in the America’s Cup.”

Diego Botín, Helmsman of La Roche-Posay Racing Team:
“The America’s Cup has always appealed to us. When the opportunity came to join the French Challenger, we were immediately attracted by the people behind the project and the way it has been built. It is a close-knit team where everyone is fully committed and pulling in the same direction. That unity and collective energy are real strengths. We have a boat with tremendous potential, and we cannot wait to discover everything it is capable of.”

La Roche-Posay: turning competition into an open-air laboratory

This launch also marks the first appearance of the French AC75 in Naples carrying the colours of La Roche-Posay, the team’s Title Partner.

Beyond its presence on the boat, the brand has launched a scientific programme involving the French Challenger’s sailors. Initiated last August at the Chevilly laboratory, this medical protocol includes dermatological monitoring of the athletes throughout the campaign, through to Naples 2027.

Alexandra Reni-Catherine, CEO of La Roche-Posay:
“Seeing the French AC75 carrying the La Roche-Posay colours in Naples marks the beginning of a journey we have been preparing for together with the entire team. The America’s Cup is the ultimate test of endurance and performance, both for the men and women competing and for their skin, exposed to UV radiation, salt, wind and extreme temperature changes. That is precisely why we are here: to turn the America’s Cup into a true open-air laboratory. Through the medical protocol launched with the sailors of La Roche-Posay Racing Team, we are monitoring their skin throughout the campaign, under extreme conditions. Our shared ambition for this 38th America’s Cup is twofold: to support the team in achieving the highest possible performance, and to turn what we learn on the water into protection and skincare solutions that benefit everyone, far beyond the competition.”

From Barcelona to Naples: a new chapter for the French challenge

This launch also tells another story: that of a French Challenger which, for the first time, can build on the foundations of a previous America’s Cup campaign.

Following Barcelona 2024, K-Challenge has retained its AC75, its infrastructure and part of its team. This continuity is essential in a competition where years of experience and development provide a considerable advantage.

This ambition is also accompanied by a historic development beyond the racecourse. Led by Stephan Kandler, K-Challenge is now one of the seven founding members of the America’s Cup Partnership (ACP), alongside Emirates Team New Zealand, Athena Racing, Luna Rossa, Tudor Team Alinghi, Arc Team USA Challenge and Team Australia.

For the first time, the French Challenger is directly involved in the governance and decisions shaping the future of the competition, with the aim of building a more stable, attractive and economically sustainable model, including the prospect of a two-year cycle.

Stephan Kandler, CEO of K-Challenge / La Roche-Posay Racing Team:
“With this new campaign, we are reaching an important milestone in France’s history in the world’s oldest sporting competition. For the first time, we have been able to build on a previous campaign, retaining our expertise, our resources and our experience to create a stronger project. Seeing our AC75 here in Naples today is a significant moment, but above all it marks the beginning of a new phase in our ambition. We want to establish France permanently among the world’s leading teams and build a platform capable of winning the America’s Cup one day.”