Luna Rossa drops poker: 4-0 on Ineos, Sir Ben on the ropes

Cynical and ruthless this Luna Rossa, but also very humble and with a crew that proves again and again to be a team player. The Italian boat signs the poker and takes a 4-0 lead against Ineos in this Prada Cup final. A solid lead, but as so many times seen in this America’s Cup, things change quickly, and Checco Bruni and Spithill do well to keep repeating like a mantra that we reason “day by day, one race at a time.” The Italian cockpit composed of Bruni-Spithill and mainsailer/tactician Pietro Sibello seems to have become almost “Anglo-Saxon” in their on-board communication, such is the calmness felt in the boat. The result is two dominated races, where the British never put the bow ahead, although the first is a tight old-school match race, complete with a nightmarish tack duel for the grinders in the 18-knot first race. The 4-0 result is a round result that bodes well for the continuation of the series, although against Ben Ainslie keeping the level of performance very high is vital, but it seems to be a concept our people have well in mind. Back on the water on February 17.

RACE 3

18 knots at the start, Ineos attacks but Spithill and Bruni hold their own and fend off Ben Ainslie’s attacks ending up winning the start once again with excellent time on distance and perfect vehicle control. The British take one too many rests to try to attack Luna Rossa and eventually fall behind and receive a tack in the face. Tough match race in the first upwind, with ours marking tightly. Aft Luna Rossa holds and continues to mark carefully. Ineos shortens but Luna is there. Ineos’ JK at gate to split (the turn at the turn with double foil in acuqa ed.), Luna goes right instead and delays the turn. The rotation of the wind gives reason to Sibello, who then decides to tack to center field on the sails of the Englishmen returning to the left. Luna Rossa stays well in phase and increases the lead. In the stern, the Italian boat continues to close all doors by racing cleanly and intelligently, between covering and searching for favorable wind shifts. In the second stern Luna rossa concedes a little separation to Ineos, going to gybe ahead of the boundary and pushing to the right, a choice that causes it to lose something. At the gate Luna Rossa’s JK to stay in marking, with Ineos quickly coming back into contact. Luna then returns to tight control, with the opponent dangerously close. But Luna Rossa’s upwind performance is important, Spithill and and Bruni answer tack after tack to Ben Ainslie and the match is tight. Great confidence in the boat by our people who are not afraid to maneuver in contact against Ineos. Luna Rossa’s upwind marking becomes asphyxiating and no side leverage is granted to the opponent. The gap remains unchanged, the two boats start the stern gybing at the same time, with Ineos very threatening and on the attack. But Luna is fast, trying to administer the lead. Small separation in the middle of the last aft side with Luna extending slightly to the left. Ineos attacks to the last, but there is no more time, Luna Rossa goes on to win 3-0.

BOA 1: 9 seconds Luna Rossa

BOA 2: 6 seconds Luna Rossa

BOA 3: 18 seconds Luna Rossa

BOA 4: 11 seconds Luna Rossa

BOA 5: 10 seconds Luna Rossa

ARRIVAL: 13 seconds Luna Rossa

RACE 4

13-15 knots at the start, Luna Rossa enters left tack, goes for the outer boundary of the box to gybe and Ineos immediately tries to pressure from downwind but Ben Ainslie loses control of the craft. Start still won by Luna Rossa, which starts the first windward leg again in control over its opponent and continues like this until the first gate. Still similar speeds between the two boats, but Luna Rossa having a better VMG with the decreasing wind. At the aft gate JK by Ineos, with Luna Rossa responding immediately and remaining in defense of the right side. At the beginning of the second windward mark Ineos narrowly breaks the boundary and takes a penalty, Luna, however, does not loosen its control and continues to close all the loopholes and increases the lead. Start of second stern with split conceded by Luna Rossa that gybes early and goes right, a choice that proves positive because the wind turns to the right. Still having a great day Pietro Sibello, who with Bruni and Spithill seemed to brush trajectories on the race course. At the aft gate Luna confirmed the tactical choice and turned the right buoy, with the British still resorting to JK. Luna Rossa seems in total control, Ben Ainslie perhaps for the first time in this series now really seems to be on the ropes. The wind shifts completely to the right and Ineos’ tactical options seem to close for good, with Luna Rossa heading for the finish in full dominance.

BOA 1: 12 seconds Luna Rossa

BOA 2: 10 seconds Luna Rossa

BOA 3: 21 seconds Luna Rossa

BOA 4: 22 seconds Luna Rossa

BOA 5: 37 seconds Luna Rossa

ARRIVAL: 41 seconds Luna Rossa

Mauro Giuffrè