In a breathtaking contest on Day 3 of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Series, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli surged to a dramatic victory, levelling the scoreboard with INEOS Britannia at two wins each. The Italian team, coming off a challenging start to the day with a damaged mainsail and disqualification from race 1, delivered a masterclass in speed and precision to win race 2 by a hair-raising 4 seconds.
The day began inauspiciously for Luna Rossa when one of their carbon fibre rods punctured their twin-skinned mainsail, forcing hasty repairs and leading to their disqualification in the earlier race. INEOS Britannia capitalised on the mishap, taking an easy win and pushing their lead in the series. However, the second race of the day was a different story.
After a delayed start, the race finally got underway at 3:15 am New Zealand Time, with both teams showing their aggressive intent right from the pre-start jostling. Luna Rossa, led by the steely Jimmy Spithill, got the better of INEOS, despite the British team lodging a protest over a tight turn by the Italians. The protest was dismissed, and Italy stormed ahead at the start line.
For much of the race, the teams were neck-and-neck, with boats foiling at blistering speeds of 50 knots (about 90kmph) under the ever-increasing pressure of 20-knot winds. Luna Rossa narrowly edged out INEOS at the first gate by just 4 seconds, and this razor-thin margin persisted for the next few legs, both teams trading blows in what could only be described as high-octane, no-room-for-error sailing.
As the teams rounded Gate 4, Luna Rossa managed to extend their lead slightly, capitalising on a wide, messy turn from INEOS that cost the British team precious metres. By the time they reached Gate 5, Italy had pushed their advantage to a commanding 450 metres, but INEOS wasn’t ready to concede. With adrenaline surging, the British boat clawed back metres on the penultimate leg, closing the gap to just 6 seconds by Gate 7.
As they shot down the final leg, both boats were travelling at breakneck speed, touching 50 knots. The gap shrunk to a nail-biting 70 metres, and any error from either side could have changed the result. But Luna Rossa held firm, crossing the line first at 26 minutes and 38 seconds, just 4 seconds ahead of INEOS Britannia.
This win not only evened the score but also reasserted Luna Rossa’s determination to challenge for the America’s Cup. With two wins apiece, the series is now wide open, and the intensity between these two titans of sailing is set to rise even further as the competition progresses.
As the teams regroup for the next race, all eyes will be on how they respond to the pressure of such closely fought battles. One thing is clear: no team is willing to take prisoners on their quest for sailing’s most coveted prize.
Final Score: Luna Rossa: 26:38, INEOS Britannia: 26:42.
With this performance, Luna Rossa has levelled the score, setting up what promises to be an epic continuation of the Challenger Series.
