On Wednesday, a U.S. boat said that it had been officially confirmed as an 'America's Cup Challenger. This ended the uncertainty about whether an American boat was going to join the fleet next year in the Bay of Naples.

American Racing Challenger Team USA announced that they will represent the Sail Newport Yacht Club to compete for the 38th battle for the coveted prize, named after the U.S. yacht "America", which won it for the first time in 1851. Last month, the organisers of the America's Cup announced that they received an unknown number of late entries from teams for Naples after extending their deadline in order to encourage more to participate. Teams from Britain and France will be competing to win the right?to take on New Zealand's defenders in July 2027. But there was hope that others would join a fleet of AC75 foiling boats.

Ken Read, the CEO of the U.S. America's Cup team and former Stars & Stripes skipper in previous campaigns, said: "We are not under any illusions about the challenges that lie ahead. We're focused on 'building a team which can win the Cup'."

The new team announced that it has acquired the AC75 Patriot and other assets from American Magic. American Magic attempted to win America's Cup at Barcelona, Spain, in 2024, but decided last October not to stage another campaign.

Karel Komarek is the co-founder of American Racing Challenger Team USA and its chairman. He is a Czech billionaire.

Riptide racing, another U.S. Team, dropped its plans to compete for the "Auld Mug", in 2027. This could be the first time that the event is without an American entry. The return of a strong U.S. team is not only fantastic but also amazing for fans all over the world, said America's Cup Partnership Chairman Grant Dalton.

The U.S. The initiative will also involve Sailing, who are committed to supporting the development of young people and increasing opportunities for female sailors.

Chris Welch is the co-founder and vice chair of the U.S. America's Cup team. He said, "This opportunity goes beyond the competition. It's about seizing a unique chance to shape the beginning chapter of a brand new era in America Cup history." (Reporting and editing by Ed Osmond; Alexander Smith)

(source: Reuters)