America’s Cup: Luna Rossa fights tooth and nail, but Team New Zealand makes it 6-3

The wind is still acting up in Auckland and only one race in the series between Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna rossa for the America’s Cup is completed. Proud performance by Luna Rossa, which took to the water with a knife between its teeth, winning yet another start, holding out ahead 4 out of 5 sides against a faster boat. The Italian cockpit accurately threaded through the many wind jumps on the course, until the last one that was fatal to them and brought the Kiwis forward until then always behind. A cruel race perhaps, but one that brings the New Zealanders within one step of the Cup. It’s back on the water in 24 hours, with the Kiwis ready to close it in on Luna Rossa determined to hang on to the good things they showed today.

RACE 9 CHRONICLE OF THE AMERICA’S CUP MATCH

RACE 9

Start all on time on distance, with Luna Rossa going upwind of the Kiwis, then it’s an arm wrestle not for the faint of heart, first to the left boundary, then after the tack with Luna Rossa to heave from downwind to blow the Kiwis away, which she succeeds in the last upwind leg. Luna Rosa passes but the split in the stern is unfortunately inevitable given the Italian boat’s 1-second lead. The Kiwis go aft at the first crossing but with Luna Rossa quite close. The good news is that Luna Rossa seems to have smaller speed gaps, less however than in recent days. Luna Rossa overtakes the Kiwis during the stern by stretching to the right, the race is literally breathtaking. Naval battle at the aft gate, with Luna Rossa hemming in from downwind and sending Team New Zealand off layline. Kiwis’ JK at the gate, but does not succeed very well, with Luna Rossa stretching slightly. Face tack at the start of the second upwind by Luna Rossa, with the Kiwis bouncing off the right side of the course and seeming to recover something. Luna Rossa does not want to let them go on their own and continues to tack to try to keep themselves in marking. The Kiwis attacked furiously, trying to develop upwind speed, with the wind appearing to drop slightly and the Kiwis looking much more comfortable. Boats still glued at the end of the second upwind, it goes on breathlessly with Luna still just ahead rebuilding a bit of a lead before the windward gate.

Stern beginning with the Italian boat ahead and the Kiwis in their usual boarding mode, very dangerous with the wind dropping. Team New Zealand nibbles a few meters, but Luna Rossa clings to a 100-meter lead, which then of diminishes again, During this second stern. Thrill at the gate with Team New Zealand showing up starboard tack but Luna rossa passes.

Heart-stopping separation at the start of the last upwind leg with Luna Rossa choosing the right side of the course and the Kiwis the left. There is tremendous suffering in the Italian night for a crucial intersection, to say the least. Luna passes by a whisker with the starboard tack, just 30 meters, impossible to tack in coverage because the opponent is too close, the Italian cockpit stretches slightly to the left. Communication in the Italian cockpit is continuous, at times tense but with great decision. Red Moon rises from the left with a voucher and puts the bow back forward after a further shudder in separation. Luna crosses just ahead and veers into the face sending Kiwis to the right. The lead, however, is always minimal, practically nonexistent, with the Kiwis finding pressure and a wind shift on the right and making a dangerous comeback. There is not a moment’s pause, marking becomes difficult with the wind continuing to swing. New Zealand passes with a huge right hander, silence descends on the Italian night, the Kiwis put the bow well ahead and run away in the stern going for the sixth point of the series and a chance for the first match point.

BOA 1 LR 1 second

BOA 2 8 seconds

BOA 3 9 seconds

BOA 4 3 seconds

BOA 5 TNZL 18 seconds

ARRIVAL 30 seconds

The second race of the day is not held, the wind shifts continue, and the Race Committee sends everyone ashore and postpones match number 10 until tomorrow. Emirates Team New Zealand now has four match points at its disposal; Luna Rossa can make no more mistakes.

Mauro Giuffrè

Everything that happened on the water will be analyzed and discussed in today’s episode of The Cup Newspaper at 1 p.m. Guests of Bacci Del Buono and Mauro Giuffrè will be Dede De Luca, Francesco de Angelis, Marta Magnano, Federico Albano and Giacomo Provini.

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