Mascalzone Latino (Onorato Challenge)

Main Facts
Internet	Official Website
Yacht Club		Reale YC Canottieri
Country		ITA
Budget	???
Challenge	No
ACC	2002 : ITA 72 2000 : ESP 47 & USA 55
Syndicate Head	Vincenzo Onorato (ITA)
Design	???
Skipper/ Helmsman	Vasco Vascotto (ITA) John Cutler* (USA)
Afterguard	???
Sponsors	???

* New Team Member

Mascalzone Latino under Spanish colours ? (07/06/04)
(sources : Las Provincias & Panorama Actual)

Fresh from winning the sixth Trofeo SM La Reina in Valencia, the Spanish skipper Pedro Campos announced a possibility of Italo-Spanish merger beetween Mascalzone Latino and the Club Náutico de Valencia.

"Vascoto and Onorato proposed me to create a syndicate for the America's Cup", Campos said. "But I required as prerequisite that the team will be based in Valencia".

Sponsored by the leading Italian mobile operator TIM in the 31st Cup, the Italian Team - which belongs three ACC - is loking for a new backer and the Telefonica's support for Campos could be a good idea.

On the RCN de Valencia side, this is a time for enthusiasm as Pedro Campos sailed three times (1992, 1995 and 2000) under the YC Colours.

"Yet virtually any skipper could assemble a competitive syndicate but Campos showed its skills, what is a guarantee", said Manuel Casanova, president of the Club Náutico de Valencia.

On the El Reto Challenge side, the other Spanish Challenge leaded by Agustín Zulueta, an announcement could be made in the coming days about a partership with a "leading Spanish bank".

John Cutler to sail Mascalzone Latino (04/08/04)
(source : La Gazetta dello Sport)

According the Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former K-Challenge skipper John Cutler (who was also Technical Director and design team coordinator) has now signed with Mascalzone Latino.

A good news for the Italian team if it's true. Another bad signal from the French challenger which has announced in June the signing of the New-Zealander.

John Cutler's career Highlights

America's Cup XXXI (Oracle BMW Racing - Louis Vuitton Finalist) : Director of Sailing Operations - Tactician and Strategist - Backup Helmsman

America's Cup XXX (America True Louis Vuitton Semi-finalist) : Helmsman

America's Cup XXIX (Nippon Challenge - Louis Vuitton Semi-finalist) : Helmsman and Skipper

America's Cup XXVIII (Nippon Challenge - Louis Vuitton Semi-finalist) : Tactician

The Mascalzone Latino is always here (02/26/04)
(source : Farevela)

In a long interview published this morning in the Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, Vincenzo Onorato recalls that, even if he is very discrete since the end of the last Cup, Mascalzone Latino intends to participate in 2007.

Citing the Azzura campaign (1987) as his example, the Italian businessman announces a €70 million project but remains very evasive concerning the name of the potential sponsors.

-Dean Barker about Merger rumors (10/23/03)
(source : Shawn McBride/Swedish Match Tour)

Leaders of the three top syndicates from this year's America's Cup were put on the spot at Wednesday's press conference at the Swedish Match Tour's Investors Guaranty Presentation of the King Edward VII Gold Cup.

Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker was asked about the rumor that the Kiwis might be joining forces with the fledgling Mascalzone Latino challenge.

"Earlier this year we were merging with Oracle, apparently there are also 25 boats in the Volvo (Ocean) Race and I'm sure there are some other good stories out there," said Barker.

Merger rumors about Team NZ and Mascalzone (10/20/03)
(source : Sailing Anarchy Website)

In yet another America's Cup world exclusive, Sailing Anarchy said he has learned that Team New Zealand and Mascalzone Latino are in merger discussions this week in Italy at the Elba home of Mascalzone's padrone Vincenzo Onorato.

"But do you challenge through a New Zealand club or Italian? Or some other country?", asked the Website. "More importantly, where would Mascalzone Zealando defend if they did manage to win ?"

Onorato appointed Vasco Vascotto as skipper (04/08/03)
(source : Yahoo.it)

Mascalzone Latino CEO Vincenzo Onorato appointed Vasco Vascotto as skipper of the 2007 Italian campaign.

During the last Cup, Vasco Vascotto was member of the Team but had been fired (Onorato have published a Press release in wich he confirmed the presence of incompatibilities with the tactician).

"I am very pleased, but nothing is still concrete", explained Vascotto. "I have spoken with Onorato and I have fixed some requirements. If they are satisfied, we will do it".

Vascotto main achievements :

- IMS World Champion in 2000
- Mumm 30 World Champion (Tact.) in 2000
- Sydney 40 World Champion in 1999
- J24 World Champion in 1999

We will be back said Onorato (03/14/03)
(source : DataSport)

Any will be the Luna Rossa destiny to the next America Cup, Italy will be represented. Mascalzone Latino challenge was once more confirmed by Vincenzo Onorato after the encouraging results obtained in Auckland.

"Mascalzone Latino will be back", said syndicate head Vincenzo Onorato, from Naples, Italy. "The first try was in order to make experience, the second onewill be in order to win the Cup".

Mascalzone Latino to support Prada (11/06/02)
(source : Foxsports)

After becoming the first team eliminated from the America's Cup challenger series, Mascalzone Latino's skipper, Vincenzo Onorato, wrote in a front-page article Wednesday that his team would now support fellow Italian syndicate Prada.

"From today, all the Mascalzoni root for (Prada skipper Francesco de Angelis) and his crew and we give a big 'arrivederci' to our fans until the next America's Cup," Onorato, who is also syndicate head, wrote in a piece for Gazzetta dello Sport.

Prada, the defending champion in the challenger series which handed Mascalzone one of its most crucial losses in the competition, faces favorite Alinghi of Switzerland in the quarterfinals next week.

Having shaken off the excesses of a magnificent goodbye party at the team's base on Syndicate Row, Onorato told his sailing team to start packing - not for home but for Nassau, where several of Onorato's shore crew are desperately preparing for a last minute entry for their chief in the 2002 Farr 40 OD worlds.

The team left Auckland's Hauraki Gulf with much more respect than its record Mascalzone bid farewell to New Zealand on Monday after winning just one of 16 races. But the team left Auckland's Hauraki Gulf with much more respect than its record implies.

The Neapolitan syndicate, with a modest budget, lack of experience, and only one boat, never expected to win the America's Cup. By its own admission, that was never its objective.

"We reached our goal: we had a great experience that we'll capitalize on for the next campaign," Onorato wrote in Italy's leading sports newspaper. "Beyond the technical aspect, I saw things that I never thought my eyes would see."

"To the fans of Mascalzone Latino, I can assure them that we will return stronger and more determined than ever, but in the meantime, remembering that we're above all Italians and this is sport, we all root together for Luna Rossa," he wrote of Prada's boat.