LV Cup, Day 06: Ineos Britannia takes the lead over Luna Rossa
A tough day for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli who loses both matches against Ineos Britannia. The sixth day of the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals presented complex conditions for both the Italian and British crews, with a strong east wind of 17 knots and crossed waves that were over one-meter high. In these conditions controlling the AC75s during maneuvers is extremely difficult, and even the smallest errors can have significant consequences.
Horacio Carabelli, Design Coordinator, commented: «It's been a tough day for the team. In the first race the jib selection was not optimal because the wind didn’t increase as we expected, so we had a speed deficit on the downwind legs. Also, the British sailed well and there wasn't much we could do. The second start wasn’t perfect either; we had to decelerate as we approached the line, while the British had a better start and sailed well. We managed to close the gap at one point, but it wasn’t enough, and they won the race. However, we are a strong team that looks forward. We're focusing on Friday, which will be a crucial day. We'll be ready, close-knit and determined to give our best and win the races we need to get to the America's Cup, which has been our goal and the reason we've been working hard for the past four years.»
MATCH #09 – ITA vs GBR
After a split tack at the start, both boats separated, with Luna Rossa heading to the right side of the course. In the first upwind leg the boats engaged in several maneuvers and crossings, with numerous changes in leadership. At the first mark GBR led by just 2 seconds. On the downwind leg however the gap widened, suffering drawback of the smaller jib. Although the Italian team sailed well in the tough conditions and tried to reverse the situation, they couldn't find the opportunity to overtake.
Winner: GBR (+ 1 point)
MATCH #10 – GBR vs ITA
Starting to windward of Ineos Britannia, Luna Rossa was forced to tack after the line and head toward the right side of the course. On the opposite side the British boat capitalized on better wind and rounded the first mark with a slim 3-second lead. Luna Rossa made a strong comeback on the fifth leg, thanks in part to a control issue on the British boat and closing much of the gap, but ultimately not enough to overturn the result.
Winner: GBR (+ 1 point)
Luna Rossa's crew today featured Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni at the helm, with Umberto Molineris and Andrea Tesei as trimmers. The cyclors on board were Enrico Voltolini and Bruno Rosetti in both races, while Cesare Gabbia and Emanuele Liuzzi alternated with Paolo Simion and Luca Kirwan.
