Official website of America’s Cup. The competition for the oldest trophy in international sport and dates back to 1851.
For Luna Rossa, their long-term commitment to the America’s Cup was underlined recently after a training session in Naples where they announced two new members of the team in Federico Figlia di Granara and Lorenzo Sirena, two names with a very bright future. In this feature we look at the skills that have driven Federico and Lorenzo to join one of the most coveted teams in international sport.
Federico Figlia di Granara
At just 23 years old, Federico is a coming force on the world dinghy scene. Having grown up at the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia – the very club under whose burgee Luna Rossa will compete – Federico is already an accomplished foiler. Together with Caterina Sedmak, he has long been involved in the Nacra 17 Class, the mixed Olympic catamaran. His list of achievements already includes a European junior title, a bronze medal at the Under-24 World Championships, and an Italian title—all won in 2025.
Federico is already a member of the Italian Olympic team and aiming for Los Angeles 2028. But Federico isn’t just an athlete: he’s also a law student at Federico II University, and it is precisely the university, through the ‘Atleta Federiciano’ programme, that allows him to pursue both sports and his studies simultaneously.
“The key point for me is that I don’t want my competitive career to become an excuse for neglecting my education, nor vice versa,” he explained, adding that his goal is “to be a professional athlete who builds high-level skills—not necessarily because they’ll be technically useful in the future, but because they make me a more prepared and capable person.”
Lorenzo Sirena
With a famous father in Max Sirena, the CEO of Luna Rossa, Lorenzo Sirena was perhaps always destined for great things in sailing. Whilst his father was busy contesting the Louis Vuitton Cup Final in Barcelona in 2024, Lorenzo was up at Lake Garda fighting for the Nacra 15 Under 19 world championships. Going into the last day Lorenzo needed solid results to beat the charging French team who had been tipped for the title and scored three firsts to win at a canter alongside crew Alice Dessy.
The two young sailors had been coached by Gigi Picciau of the Italian Sailing Federation and Marcella Mamusa of the Cagliari Yacht Club. Speaking on Instagram to his ever-growing following Lorenzo said: “It was a very hard-fought championship, until the last race. I am very satisfied with this performance, and I noticed great improvements compared to the last races. But I know there is a lot of work to do, though… I want to thank my family first of all! And then all the Italian Nacra15 team and our sparring partners, without them it would have been impossible!”
For Federico and Lorenzo their path is now set with confirmation that they have officially joined the Luna Rossa Youth Team – the current holders of the Youth America’s Cup famously won by Marco Gradoni and Gianluigi Ugolini in Barcelona in 2024. Big shoes to fill, but Luna Rossa are investing in the future and encouraging the next generation of talented Italian sailors through to the pinnacle of the sport.
Rocco Falcone, himself a product of the Luna Rossa Youth America’s Cup team commented on the appointments and the selection period, saying: “We are working to build the Youth and Women crews, both in preparation for the Preliminary Regatta in September and for next year’s Youth America’s Cup and Women’s America’s Cup. When we sail with two boats, we focus more on match racing; with just one, we work mainly on basic manoeuvres, such as starts and mark roundings, while at the same time defining the different roles on board and integrating the new sailors. I am very pleased with the two young sailors who have joined the Youth team: they are very young, but already highly skilled. Both have experience on foiling boats and immediately understand what is required of them. I remember very clearly the excitement I felt when I joined Luna Rossa as a Youth sailor a few years ago, and I am sure they are experiencing the same feeling.”
