ANTIGUANICE YACHTING INSIDER NEWSLETTER

The 34th America’s Cup Finals get underway on September 7 and will run through to September 21 if the competition is good enough to keep it going to the last day of a best-of-17 series.  Emirates Team New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton Cup on Saturday, August 24, becoming the Challenger to the current America’s Cup defender, Oracle Team USA.

One of the key members of the Oracle Team USA crew is none other than Antigua’s very own Shannon Falcone.  Shannon took his first footsteps on a boat that everyone is Antigua is very familiar with - his father’s (Carlo Falcone) 44-foot Caccia alla Volpe.  He completed his first Atlantic crossing from Italy to Guadeloupe while racing at the young age of 3.  Following that race, Shannon settled in English Harbour, Antigua with his family where he grew up sailing in some of the best sailing conditions in the world!

Shannon pursued his love of sailing and at 19 set off to discover the world on sailboats.  Soon afterwards he moved into the competitive sailing world and now has some of the most challenging competitions in the world successfully under his belt.  A summary of Shannon’s most impressive achievements includes:

• 2003 – Louis Vuitton Cup with Team Mascalzone Latino
• 2007 – Louis Vuitton Cup finalist with Luna Rossa Challenge
• 2008-2009 – Volvo Ocean Race with Team Puma – 2nd place finish
• 2010 – 33rd America’s Cup with BMW Oracle Racing – Winner!
• 2013 – 34th America’s Cup Defender with Oracle Team USA

All of us here in Antigua will be watching the America’s Cup Finals unfold over the next few weeks and wish Shannon much success in his campaign.  We look forward to hearing his stories when it’s all over until the next time.

You can follow Shannon and all the America's Cup action on his Facebook page here:  https://www.facebook.com/RacingSF.