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Onorato, Latin rascals take challenge Posted: Wednesday September 25, 2002 1:08 PM
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -- Vincenzo Onorato, whose Mascalzone Latino team will challenge for yachting's America's Cup, is an island-dweller who lives a life surrounded by and governed by the sea. Onorato, 45, is the head of the Italian shipping company Moby Lines, builder and operator of cargo ships and passenger ferries. He is also an accomplished sailboat racer whose passion for the sport blossomed as a child when he followed his father Achille to sea on the family cutter Alcyon. Onorato began to sail competitively in 1970 and was able to buy the first of his own sailboats, a six-meter (20-foot) keeler, six years later. He proved to be a gifted helmsman, winning the Mediterranean Championship in 1984, the Zegna Cup and later placing second in the World One-Ton Cup. In 1993 Onorato formed the Mascalzone Latino sailing team, translated "the Latin Rascals," which gave more focus to his sailing ambition. Mascalzone Latino has since won the Mumm 30 and Mumm 36 World Championships, the Rolex Cup, the Yukon Cup off Key West, Florida and placed second at the Farr 40 world championships. There are two Italian challengers for the America's Cup among a field of nine teams from six countries which will begin a four-month racing program on Oct. 1. From that series one team will challenge holders Team New Zealand in February 2003. While compatriots, the Italian contenders are in no way similar. This will be Onorato and Mascalzone Latino's first venture into the America's Cup while Prada, their countrymen and rivals, competed in Auckland three years ago, outlasting 10 other teams to become Cup challenger. Prada had the largest budget then and an international team of designers and sailors. This time around, it remains well-funded, strong in personnel and experienced. Mascalzone Latino is the only team in Auckland this year not specifically formed to challenge for the America's Cup. Their sailors, administrative and technical staff are all Italian. They represent the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia of Naples and sail out of Portoferraio on the Island of Elba. Prada, from Punta Ala, take their name from the swanky Milanese fashion house. Onorato works from offices in Milan but returns every day to his Elba home, a long drive and ferry trip away. Prada, with more than 100 staff, bring to Auckland a sense of catwalk glamor. Mascalzone, 80-strong, have a more blue-collar look and feel. Mascalzone is a small team by the standards of this regatta and the only team in Auckland, including defenders Team New Zealand, who have built only one boat. The other challenge syndicates have the advantage of two-boat programs, giving themselves a choice of racing yachts and a forum for development. Mascalzone began their Cup preparation when they purchased Bravo Espana, the Spanish Cup challenge yacht from the 2000 regatta. They acquired a second retired Cup boat and began to give their crew their first taste of America's Cup sailing. Onorato made no effort to pull rank when the choice of helmsman was made and decided on experienced match-racer Paolo Cian. Onorato will be on the boat but said his strength as a helmsman was not in match-racing and for the team's sake, Cian was the proper choice. Nor has Onorato chosen to fully underwrite his team's budget. Instead he has brought on board one major and a number of subsidiary partners. The team has one of the smallest budgets in Auckland -- about 20 to 25 million US dlrs, a deliberate step on Onorato's part. "Big budgets go with experience," he said in a recent interview. "Now we don't have any experience in the America's Cup but that is OK. The first step in this game is having the passion. "[Mascalzone] is a young team and a low-budget team. We are here as first participants to make an experience. I just hope to do everything our way and to do things well." Mascalzone Latino's prime purpose in Auckland is to gain experience and, while they are at long odds to win this challenge series, they are likely to return. "It is useless to compete in just one America's Cup," Onorato said. "You have to try and try and try and learn and try again."
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