Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli booked a berth in the America’s Cup challenger series finals when they took an unassailable 4-0 lead over the New York Yacht Club in the semi-finals in Auckland, New Zealand, yesterday.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli next face Ineos Team UK in the best of 13 races for the challengers’ Prada Cup, and to decide who is to face defending champions Team New Zealand for the America’s Cup — the world’s oldest international sporting trophy.
The Patriot, raced by the New York Yacht Club — winner of the inaugural America’s Cup contest in 1851 — was the best performing challenger in the pre-Cup regatta, but has since been hit by disaster.
Photo: AFP
The boat was extensively damaged in a spectacular capsize that forced the team to withdraw from the final two races of the Prada Cup round-robin.
Although they completed the necessary repairs in time for the semi-finals, their high-tech monohull — which “flies” over the water balanced on a foiling arm — never regained the speed it had shown.
After being easily beaten in the first two semi-final races on Friday and again in the third race yesterday, they had a further catastrophe in their must-win race 4 when equipment failure caused serious steering problems and sealed their elimination.
Photo: AFP
“Now Ineos, boys,” Jimmy Spithill, helmsman of the Luna Rossa, told his crew as they completed the rout of the Americans, winning by 3 minutes, 51 seconds in the fourth race.
Luna Rossa tactician Francesco Bruni added that crew members were “sniffing revenge” after previous losses to the Britannica, which is helmed by celebrated British sailor Ben Ainslie.
“I’m very proud of the team, because we made a huge step forward compared with last weekend,” Bruni said. “If we keep improving the performance of the boat, with this speed, it’s going to be very good racing.”
Patriot skipper Terry Hutchinson described their early exit as “brutal,” particularly after the round-the-clock effort to repair the yacht.
“It’s disappointing to have it end in this manner because I know we’re better than this,” he said.
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