If you haven’t been glued to your screens for the last couple of weeks, mark your calendars for September 17th and keep watching! The semi-finals of the America’s Cup—hands down the most thrilling sailing race in the world—have been taking off. It could be just one race each to go before a final stand off, starting on September 26th, possibly between Italy and Great Britain in the final. These cutting-edge boats practically fly, their foils skimming the water as they reach astonishing speeds. While the sheer spectacle is reason enough to watch, there’s something even more exciting: two young Antiguans are making waves on the global stage!

From the racing mecca of Antigua, Shannon Falcone and Louis Sinclair are proudly representing the island as part of the elite crews of Prada Pirelli and American Magic respectively in Barcelona. This is a showcase of the world’s best, and these Antiguans are right at the centre of it.

The excitement doesn’t stop there. While Louis and Shannon are now old-hands in the Americas cup, more of Antigua’s young sailors are proving time and again that they are a force to be reckoned with. In 2024, Junella King made history aboard the “Maiden”, winning the Ocean Globe Round-the-World Race. In the previous America’s Cup, Louis Sinclair’s brother, Alex, sailed with Team New Zealand. Now, another Falcone is stepping into the spotlight.

Rocco Falcone is set to compete in Prada Pirelli in the UniCredit Youth Americas Cup on September 17th. Antiguans will remember Rocco’s jaw-dropping performance in the 2023 International 69F Youth Foiling Gold Cup, where his team frequently topped the ranks and almost conquered all, against far more experienced sailors. The 69F, a precursor to the Americas Cup, flies on foils, hitting mind-bending speeds. In 2022, Rocco and his team—along with another standout performance from Junella King—dominated the U.S. circuit, bringing home yet another trophy to Antigua.

Rocco believes foiling will bring more young Antiguans to the exhilarating world of sailing; this is a very different sport from the monohull racing. “The beauty of the foils is they actually fly….  flying in every condition is amazing. When the wind goes up….it’s insane!”

Now, with the Youth Americas Cup about to fly, Rocco is ready to follow in Shannon’s footsteps. These young Antiguans are making history—don’t miss your chance to witness it!

How to Watch
Fans can follow the Unicredit Youth America’s Cup and cheer Rocco on from the island starting on September 17th. Streaming details and live updates will be available through the official America’s Cup website and social media channels, as well as on the official America’s Cup YouTube channel.