Louis Vuitton Cup Day 1: Luna Rossa kicks off with a strong win over Orient Express
by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 29 Aug 10:25 PDT
29 August 2024
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs. Orient Express Racing Team on Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin 1 Day 1 © Ian Roman / America's Cup
The wait is over: today marks the start of the Challenger Selection Series for the 37th America's Cup, which will determine the Challenger to face the Defender in the final Match. Tension is high among the participating teams, as only four of them will advance to the semifinals at the end of the two elimination rounds, while the last one will be eliminated.
Luna Rossa won the match against the French team Orient Express, earning its first point in the standings. The Italian team lost the previous regatta against the Defender, which, however, does not count towards the points for the Louis Vuitton Cup.
Max Sirena, Skipper and Team Director of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: "Today the Louis Vuitton Cup begins with two Round Robins that have a very close schedule, meaning it's a long period of races. It may seem like a normal thing for outsiders, but it involves significant decisions for the team. Five days before the start of the races we had to declare our wings, rudders, and other components, which means locking in the boat's configuration with a major advance, a period in which weather conditions can change significantly. We are entering a crucial phase in which we are aware that we have the potential to do well and that we will improve as we go. Right now, the important thing is to approach the races correctly day by day and try to be as prepared as possible for the important moments."
On this first day of the event the conditions were very challenging for the AC75s due to the very light wind on the racecourse that forced the committee to delay the start of the first match until 3:00 pm. Staying on the foils and manoeuvring in 7/8 knots of wind was an additional major undertaking for the crews engaged in the inaugural day of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
RACE #2: ITA vs. NZL
With a good start on the left, Luna Rossa led the race until the second upwind leg, staying in control of both racecourse and opponent, as the New Zealand boat was forced to chase with very narrow margins. However, halfway through the second upwind leg, following a close lee-bow tack by Luna Rossa, the Kiwis managed to overtake the Italian boat and stayed in the lead until the finish line. The result of this match does not count towards the standings.
Winner: NZL (0 pts)
RACE #4: FRA vs. ITA
Buoyed by their victory over the Swiss in the previous match, the French entered the prestart box aggressively, but the boats stayed separated until the line, which they crossed evenly, Luna Rossa on the right. The Italian boat managed to pull away on the first upwind leg, rounding the first gate with a 27" lead, which increased to 34" at the next gate. From that moment the Italian crew only needed to sail without mistakes and chase the light breeze shifts on the racecourse to secure Luna Rossa her first victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup.
Winner: ITA (+1 pt)
Luna Rossa's crew today featured Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni at the helm, with Umberto Molineris and Andrea Tesei as trimmers. As for the cyclors, Enrico Voltolini, Bruno Rosetti and Cesare Gabbia sailed in both races, while Emanuele Liuzzi alternated with Luca Kirwan.
Tomorrow, August 30, Luna Rossa will race Match #7 against the USA team NYYC American Magic.