Luna Rossa's journey in the LV Cup finals comes to an end

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli's campaign for the 37th America's Cup closed today, as the team was defeated by Ineos Britannia on the seventh day of the Louis Vuitton Cup finals. There was great disappointment within the Italian team, as their chance to compete in the America's Cup Match slipped away. The sense of pride throughout the squad was tangible for having been part of challenging and thrilling races, in what has been the fifth time that the team reaches the finals of the Challenger Selection Series. Luna Rossa once again put on a display of strength and maturity of a team of top professionals that has captivated the sailing world and showcased the excellence of Made in Italy.

MATCH #11 – GBR vs ITA
Luna Rossa bid her farewell to the 37th America's Cup after an intense and hard-fought race. Starting windward of the British boat, Luna Rossa tacked to the right and closed in on their opponent halfway up the first beat. They were however unable to cross ahead, and Ineos Britannia rounded the first mark in the lead. The rest of the race saw Luna Rossa battling hard, searching for favorable shifts and putting immense pressure on their rivals. The race tightened during the fifth leg, with the Italian boat rounding the mark just 4 seconds behind. Despite Luna Rossa’s efforts, Ineos Britannia held them off and left no room for a comeback. 
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, Bruno Rosetti, Cesare Gabbia and Emanuele Liuzzi.

Francesco Bruni praised his rival at the end of the race, saying, «Congratulations, Ben, you deserved it,» to Sir Ben Ainslie, helmsman and Team Director of Ineos Britannia. Addressing his team and Italian supporters, he added: «This is a very, very tough moment for me personally and for all of us. We’ve done an extraordinary job as a team, and I want to thank each of you individually for what you’ve done. Unfortunately, we didn’t achieve the result we hoped for. Thank you, everyone, for your support. You made us dream. We had everything we needed to be in the match race for the Cup, but we didn’t perform well in the finals. Ineos deserved to win. It didn’t go our way, but Luna Rossa will come back even stronger.»

Max Sirena, Skipper and Team Director , commented: «It’s always a strange feeling when a journey of over three years with so many people comes to an end, people who become like family. I want to thank everyone who shared this challenge with us, as well as the fans who have followed Luna Rossa for many years. Credit must go to Patrizio Bertelli, Lorenzo, and the Prada family for their unwavering commitment to this sport. I also want to thank Marco Tronchetti Provera and all our partners and sponsors for believing in us and supporting us throughout these years. The good news is that the team will continue, and that’s what matters most for sailing, for the young sailors, and for all the fans. The America’s Cup is an incredibly difficult trophy to win—almost impossible. The only way to do it is to keep trying and make one fewer mistake than your opponent. Today, we must credit Ineos Britannia for sailing better than we did. The important thing is to go home with no regrets, knowing we gave our best. Thank you all.»

Jimmy Spithill said: «First, I want to thank the entire Luna Rossa team—it’s been an incredible adventure. This is my third campaign with the team, and it has truly become a family for me. I’m really sorry we didn’t achieve the goal, but I’m immensely grateful to everyone for the incredible work that has been done. At the same time, I want to congratulate Ineos Britannia and especially Ben, who is a good friend. I’ve raced both with and against him, and I respect him a lot. I’m happy for his success today.»

Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, commented: «For the first time, we had the potentially fastest boat in the competition; for the first time, we had so many determined sailors on the team, and a brilliant potential ahead with promising young talent. If we focus solely on today, it wasn’t a good day. But if we look at things in the right perspective, we should remain positive: today is also a day of great pride. We are a great team with a bright future. We will keep fighting and stay positive. We’re here, doing amazing work, surrounded by people we love. Each of you deserves a big round of applause.»

Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice President of Pirelli, co-title sponsor of the team, added: «First of all, I want to thank Patrizio Bertelli for bringing me on board several years ago, and Max Sirena, the best coach in this environment and the best skipper for us and for all of you. This is not just about forming a team that competes in the America’s Cup, but also about creating a generation of young sailors passionate about a sport that involves families and requires sacrifices, a sport of quality that you’ve shown you know how to do. You’ve all done an excellent job. I’m involved in many sports, but I’ve never encountered the quality, passion, attachment, and family support that I’ve seen here. You are a special team. Thank you all—you’ve shown what sports should be like.»