In a dramatic turn of events after a significant loss to ETNZ, Luna Rossa has secured a well-deserved victory in their second race of the day, while France faced significant challenges throughout.
Before the race even began, France was handed a penalty, setting the stage for a difficult competition. At the start, the French team was already 200 meters behind Italy, grappling with a software issue that severely hampered their performance. The issue caused France to fall off their foils, but the team managed to regain their footing after considerable effort.
Luna Rossa, still reeling from a disappointing first race, showed marked improvement. The Italian team, having learned from their earlier setbacks, approached the end of leg 2 with a commanding lead of 400 meters over the French.
As the race progressed, Italy demonstrated strong performance, especially as they rounded the top bend. Despite the French team’s boat being based on a successful Kiwi design, it was clear that the design alone could not guarantee victory. Italy maintained their lead, cruising smoothly around the bottom gate with optimal positioning.
France, meanwhile, struggled to close the gap. The French boat, though designed to be competitive, failed to make significant headway, falling over 1 kilometer behind Italy. Their final turn around the last bend was executed a minute and 16 seconds after Luna Rossa completed the maneuver, highlighting the significant gap between the two teams.
Luna Rossa’s performance in this race was a stark contrast to their earlier misfortunes, earning them crucial points and redemption. In contrast, France finished the race without any points, reflecting a challenging day for the team.
As the day concludes, Luna Rossa’s victory and France’s ongoing struggles underscore the unpredictable nature of the sport and the critical role of both team performance and technical reliability.
