Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli delivered a commanding performance against American Magic in the third race of the semi-finals, taking another step closer to securing their place in the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series final. In a race filled with high speeds and strategic manoeuvres, the Italians demonstrated why they are among the top contenders for the 2024 America’s Cup.
Despite forecasts of light winds, 16 knots were blowing at the start, promising fast, exciting racing. Both boats crossed the start line simultaneously, with American Magic immediately opting for the right-hand side of the course while Luna Rossa stayed left. Early on, the Italians seemed faster and more composed, with their boat, often nicknamed the “Silver Bullet”, living up to its reputation.
Luna Rossa rounded the first gate at 3 minutes and 49 seconds, with the Americans trailing just 13 seconds behind. However, as the second leg began, the Italians started to stretch their lead, inching further ahead with each manoeuvre. By the time they reached the second gate at 7 minutes and 2 seconds, Luna Rossa had extended their advantage to 250 metres, rounding the gate a full 15 seconds ahead of their American rivals.
A critical moment came shortly after when American Magic made a costly error. A slide-slip caused their boat to touch down, forcing them to deploy both foils to stabilise. This slip cost the Americans dearly, adding around 15 seconds to their chase time and significantly compromising their performance. The Italians, meanwhile, remained faultless, seizing the opportunity to extend their lead.
As Luna Rossa rounded gate 3 at 11 minutes and 24 seconds, the gap had widened to nearly half a kilometre. The Americans, struggling to regain their footing, trailed by 30 seconds. By the time the Italians approached the fourth gate at 14 minutes and 36 seconds, their lead had grown even further, with American Magic rounding the same gate 36 seconds later.
The Italians maintained a near-flawless performance through the fifth leg, with Jimmy Spithill, Luna Rossa’s helmsman, showing his trademark calm and professionalism. As they surged forward at 37 knots, it became increasingly clear that the Americans had no chance of closing the gap.
Luna Rossa crossed the finish line at 22 minutes and 29 seconds, with a commanding lead of 600 metres. American Magic followed 26 seconds later, visibly deflated after their earlier mistake. While they had performed admirably in parts of the race, it was the critical error after gate 2 that sealed their fate.
In America’s Cup racing, the margin for error is slim. Today’s race was a reminder that even the smallest mistake can have significant consequences. American Magic had shown promise early on, but once they fell behind, there was little hope of recovery.
With the score now standing at 3-0 in favour of Luna Rossa, the Italians need just two more victories to secure their place in the final. For American Magic, the road ahead looks increasingly difficult. They will need to be flawless in the upcoming races to stand a chance of turning the tide.
As both teams prepare for their next encounter, set to take place in just over an hour, all eyes are on whether Luna Rossa can maintain their dominance or if American Magic can make a come back to keep their hopes alive.
