LV Cup finals, Luna Rossa: "We're hungry to win"

The atmosphere in Barcelona is heating up ahead of the Louis Vuitton Cup finals, which will begin tomorrow, September 26, between Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Ineos Britannia. The first team to reach 7 points will win the Challenger Selection Series and earn the right to challenge Defender Emirates Team New Zealand in the final Match of the 37th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup. For the first match, Luna Rossa will enter the pre-start box on port tack. 

Today’s pre-final press conference featured skippers Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni: «We’ve come through some very tough semifinals and now we will face one of the strongest challengers of this edition», said the Australian helmsman. «I expect tough, hard-fought matches, and yes, it will be a real fight to get ahead. Then again, that is the purpose of Challenger Selections, to identify the strongest and most prepared challenger to face the Defender. We are very familiar with both the British crew and their way of sailing. We have studied it extensively in the Round Robins, but we also know that the team we will face tomorrow is not the same it was a few weeks ago. There are many variables to consider, but we are ready. Since I’ve been with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli I’ve learned how strong Italy’s bond is with the sea, with sailing and with the Cup. We’re hungry to win.»

«The difference between victory and defeat will come down to the team that performs best in every aspect», said Francesco "Checco" Bruni. «Facing Ineos in the final phase of the Challenger Selection Series feels a bit like reliving the Auckland 2021 final, but these will be very different races. Compared to the last edition, the teams have changed, they’ve grown, and the performances are much closer, both in terms of boat handling and speed. We’ve just come through difficult semifinals against a strong challenger, and I want to congratulate the entire team and crew for the work they’ve done. Winning the America’s Cup is a dream that Italy has been chasing for years, and now we have the chance to make it happen. We’ll use all our resources. To those who follow us, I say keep supporting us, we need your backing and to feel you close. We must win together.»

Tomorrow will also be a crucial day for the of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli youth team, which will compete in the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup final against USA’s American Magic. This single match race will determine the winner of the trophy reserved for the Under 25 category. The final is scheduled to start at 12:20 PM. After finishing the elimination round at the top of the rankings, the crew featuring of Marco Gradoni, Gianluigi "Gigi" Ugolini, Federico Colaninno, and Rocco Falcone are determined to give their all and make their mark in the first edition of the youth America’s Cup.

«It all comes down to one match race, and it will be a tough battle» said Marco Gradoni, starboard helmsman of the AC40 and skipper of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli youth team. «The whole elimination series were difficult, especially the semifinals, also due to the weather conditions. Now we face the USA team, which has been a formidable opponent and showed speeds very similar to ours. We’ll need to sail well in the wind while executing perfect maneuvers, especially in this choppy sea. In racing you always take risks, but tomorrow we’ll need to calculate which risks to take very carefully, because a penalty in a two-boat race can be dangerous. I’m really happy to be paired with 'Gigi' Ugolini; we work well together and get better every day. Rocco Falcone and Federico Colaninno are exceptional trimmers. I’d definitely choose this crew again.» 

Port helmsman Gigi Ugolini added: «Being paired with Marco is fantastic for me too. He’s sailed with Jimmy Spithill, Francesco Bruni, and Ruggero Tita and has shared his match-racing experience with us. We’re very happy with the result we’ve achieved because it wasn’t a given. We worked hard to get here, but so did the other teams, and all of them had the potential to advance. The races have been tough and unique, played out in a very short time span, and tomorrow will be a 'one-shot' final. I expect a fun race, and since the forecast is for a swell, we’ll need to pay great attention to the boat and manage the match race at the same time. It’s the first time the four of us sail together but we’re in tune with each other, we communicate well, and I feel we’ve handled even the most complex situations with calm and professionalism.» 

As for land-based activities, the new edition of the Ocean&Climate Village was inaugurated yesterday in the presence of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Women’s Team. This scientific, immersive, and interactive exhibition, curated by UNESCO-IOC and supported by the Prada Group as part of the SEA BEYOND educational program, is set up at the Olympic Port and is part of the collaboration between UNESCO and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli for the 37th America's Cup to promote ocean conservation and education.