Luna Rossa (Italy) faced off against NYYC American Magic (US) in this much-anticipated race. The US team immediately requested a 5-minute delay (rumoured, due to comms issues), pushing the start of the race to approximately 12:23 AM (NZT). Both teams began simultaneously, but the US took an early lead of about 100 metres.
Halfway through the first leg, the US remained in front. Both teams were travelling at the same speed, approximately 30 knots. Despite the Italians’ efforts to close the gap, they only managed to reduce the US lead by 30 metres. The US employed strategies to slow down the Italians and rounded the first gate at 4:17, with the Italians just two seconds behind. The Italians quickly gained ground, rounding the gate with a fast launch enabling them to establish a significant lead.
By the second leg, the Italians held a 50-metre advantage, which steadily grew to over 100 metres. The US managed to briefly retake the lead with a well-executed tack and a close encounter with the Italians. Both boats reached the second gate at exactly 8:10. This was a tight race with the lead constantly shifting between the evenly matched teams.
From here, the Italians built a 120-metre lead halfway through the third leg, though it seemed the US could have closed the gap with a single good tack. The Italians extended their lead to 160 metres as the US struggled to keep up. The Italians rounded the third gate at 12:14, with the US trailing by 19 seconds. Seizing the opportunity, the Italians further extended their lead to 200 metres.
During the fourth leg, the US could not make up ground as both teams sailed at roughly 25 knots due to increased wind resistance. The Italians rounded the fourth gate at 15:25, with the US 20 seconds behind. Despite their efforts, the US needed a miracle to catch up. The boats reached speeds of around 31 knots on the downwind leg, and the Italians applied pressure, pushing the US team to the edges of the course.
American Magic fell further behind as the Italians rounded the fifth gate at 19:22, with the US doing so 25 seconds later. In the final leg, the US was unable to match the Italians’ speed, ultimately finishing 24 seconds behind with a time of 22:17. The Italians won decisively, extending their lead to 300 metres by the finish. The Americans, despite their efforts, could not recover from the early loss of their lead and crossed the finish line 24 seconds later.
