Francesco de Angelis (sailor)


Francesco de Angelis is an Italian yachtsman. He was the first and so far only non-english skipper to win the Louis Vuitton Cup in Auckland in 2000 with Luna Rossa.

Biography

Francesco was born in Naples on September 11, 1960. Over the course of his career, he has won several prestigious regattas, including six world championships with different classes, one Admiral's Cup, three Sardinia Cups, two Swan Cups, three Middle Sea Race Trophy and the Giraglia Trophy in 2018. He has won two European championships and nine Italian championships with different classes.
In 2000, as the skipper and helmsman of Luna Rossa, he won the Louis Vuitton Cup and challenged Team New Zealand’s Black Magic in the XXX America’s Cup. In the XXXI America’s Cup in 2003, still as Luna Rossa’s skipper and helmsman, he reached the semi-finals but lost to One World. In the XXXII America’s Cup in 2007, he served as team director and skipper for Luna Rossa and reached, again, the Louis Vuitton final after beating BMW Oracle Racing 5-1. During the XXXIII America’s Cup, he was a commentator for Italian broadcaster La7, and worked as a guest expert for Sky during the 2012 London Olympics. For his distinction in sports, Francesco has been awarded four gold medals from the Italian National Olympic Committee. He was also named as an honorary Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to yachting and New Zealand–Italy relations, in the 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Achievements

;Other results
;Italian Championships