SLAM on board

The road to the 38th America’s Cup has kicked off in Cagliari with the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Sardinia, the first official event on the Road to Naples 2027.

From 21 to 24 May, the AC40s competed in the waters of the Gulf of Angels – the start of a campaign that will culminate in Naples with the first-ever edition of the America’s Cup hosted in Italy.

The event marks a new phase in the history of the competition, thanks to a renewed format, a growing number of participating teams, evolving technical regulations, and the increasingly important role of the Women & Youth programmes.

A partnership built on the water

For SLAM, the partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand represents the continuation of a journey deeply rooted in elite-level sailing.

Founded in Genoa in 1979, the Italian brand has developed a complete apparel system for the New Zealand team, designed to support every member of the organisation, from sailors and shore crew to designers and technicians, with solutions focused on protection, freedom of movement, comfort, and functionality under the most demanding sailing and working conditions.

The America’s Cup has always been a laboratory of innovation, where research, testing, and attention to detail translate into measurable performance gains. In this environment, technical apparel plays a strategic role: not only as an expression of team identity, but as a genuine working tool engineered to support every activity, both on the water and ashore, accompanying sailors and professionals through the daily challenges of sea, wind, speed, and the relentless pursuit of performance.

Commenting on the continuation of the partnership, Enrico Chieffi, SLAM President said: “Being once again alongside Emirates Team New Zealand is a source of great pride for SLAM.”

He added, “The America’s Cup represents the highest level of research and performance in sailing, and supporting the Defender in a new challenge, for the first time in Italy, holds special significance for our brand. After Barcelona, we look ahead to Naples 2027 with great enthusiasm, fully aware that every detail, including technical apparel, can contribute to the daily work of a team operating at this level.”

Welcoming the Emirates Team New Zealand Collection

The renewed partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand will extend beyond the team itself. As part of the Road to Naples 2027, SLAM will also introduce the Emirates Team New Zealand Collection, a line designed to bring the values, identity, and competitive spirit of the Defender beyond the racecourse and closer to sailing enthusiasts worldwide.

The collection is the result of the meeting between SLAM’s technical expertise and Emirates Team New Zealand’s DNA, creating garments that combine performance, functionality, and clean design. Advanced materials, meticulous construction, and careful attention to detail define a range inspired by the team that has won the America’s Cup five times and remains the only team in history to have secured three consecutive victories.

The first pieces will debut during the Cagliari event, the opening official stop on the Road to Naples 2027.

The launch will accompany the beginning of the new America’s Cup cycle, creating a tangible connection between the team’s work, SLAM’s commitment as Official Technical Apparel Supplier, and the community of enthusiasts who will follow the journey towards Naples 2027.

SLAM’s Cup journey continues

SLAM’s presence in the America’s Cup is rooted in a long-standing experience alongside the leading figures of high-performance sailing. Before sharing success with Emirates Team New Zealand in Barcelona, the brand had already contributed to lifting the Auld Mug as technical supplier to BMW Oracle Racing during the 33rd America’s Cup in Valencia.

For that campaign, SLAM developed an innovative three-layer stretch-fabric foul-weather gear system, specifically engineered to meet the demands of a revolutionary and extreme competition contested aboard high-performance multihulls, where protection from the elements, freedom of movement, and reliability were critical factors.

The thread connecting that experience to the current collaboration with Emirates Team New Zealand reflects the very essence of the SLAM brand: an Italian company that has grown through direct engagement with the most advanced levels of sailing, transforming the needs of athletes and teams into applied research, product development, and tangible innovation.

SLAM will now continue to support Emirates Team New Zealand throughout its journey towards the 38th America’s Cup – from Cagliari to Naples – bringing the expertise gained at the highest levels of international sailing and a vision of technical apparel founded on innovation, functionality, and performance. An approach developed in close collaboration with those who live the sea every day, transforming the demands of competition into practical solutions for the most extreme challenges.

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