America's Cup Semifinals, Luna Rossa wins both matches today

A beautiful day with clear skies and southerly winds ranging 8-10 knots set the stage for the much-anticipated first day of the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals, from which Luna Rossa came through in flying colors after two high-tension matches. At the end of the day, the Italian boat secured two crucial points against NYYC American Magic, much to the delight of the many Italian supporters who came to cheer on Luna Rossa in the fan zones of Barcelona.

MATCH #01 – ITA vs USA
Having kept the necessary distance from the opponent’s boat in the pre-start box, Luna Rossa tacked away just before the start and headed to the right, but didn’t find the best pressure. American Magic, with a better start on the left, stretched ahead enough to control the Italian boat. The crew led by Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni kept pushing their opponents with constant maneuvers, working to find the right moment to overturn the lead. The opportunity came in the final upwind leg, when Luna Rossa, having closed-in significantly on the downwind leg by sailing on the better side of the course, overtook American Magic and kept the lead up to the fifth gate, rounding it with a 22-second advantage. The race stayed tight until the very final stretch, but Luna Rossa covered the US boat and closed off any chance of a comeback, finishing the race with a 7-second lead.
Winner: Luna Rossa (+1)

MATCH #02 – USA vs ITA
After a slightly delayed start, following which Luna Rossa was forced to chase the US team for the first upwind leg, the Italian boat closed the gap on the first downwind leg, also benefiting from a mistake by the American boat that dropped off its foils. As in the first race, once the distance was reduced, the Italian crew attacked on the second upwind leg with a series of close crossings and overtook American Magic, rounding the third gate 6 seconds ahead. For the remainder of the race Luna Rossa kept the lead, although the competition reopened unexpectedly on the final stretch when the American boat, aided by a favorable wind shift, narrowed the gap just meters from the finish. Luna Rossa stayed in control until the end and crossed the finish line 18 seconds ahead.
Winner: Luna Rossa (+1).

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.