Generation of phenomena: Emirates Team New Zealand wins 36th America’s Cup

The America’s Cup remains in the New Zealand Yacht Squadron ‘s trophy case, Emirates Team New Zealand completed the Old Pitcher’s defense, winning 7-3 over Luna Rossa. There is no history in the last race, the Italian boat holds out little against an opponent who objectively has more.

It is the conclusion of a 3-year America’s Cup campaign that has profoundly changed the history of this Trophy and the sailing world. Luna Rossa comes out with its head held high, having brought a credible, competitive challenge, clearly superior to Ineos Team UK and American Magic. A challenge that saw the Italian boat go where no tricolor team had ever gone in the America’s Cup, winning three races. Max Sirena has put together a complete team, with a mix of young and experienced men, a union that has made a remarkable step forward for Italian sailing within the history of this trophy.

Honor the winners, however. Emirates Team New Zealand defends the Cup after winning Bermuda in 2017. A victory to add to the one in 1995, the 2000 defense against Luna Rossa itself, and precisely the Bermuda victory before today’s. Four America’s Cup victories in the last 26 years, to understand the mountain that Luna Rossa had to climb one must keep these statistics in mind.

It is also a generational victory, with the New Zealanders already believing in a very young team on the water and on land for the 2017 Cup. It is the victory of a generation of phenomena-Peter Burling (class of 1991), Blair Tuke (class of 1990), Josh Junior (1990), Andy Maloney (1991), to name a few of the young talents who were on board. Or like young performance engineer Elise Beavis (class of 1994). These guys, Elise is not even 30 years old, have already won the America’s Cup twice. They are the phenomena of the 2.0 generation of sailors. Used to speed, acrobatic classes, born already in the foil world.

It is a victory for New Zealand design. From 1995 to the present day in the America’s Cup, the Kiwis have almost always had the fastest boats, the most innovative boats, the boats with the fanciest handling techniques. A design dominance that has lasted 26 years and, at the moment, does not seem destined to fall. Honor to them, honor to Luna Rossa who did everything to make life difficult for these phenomena.

RACE 10

Luna Rossa threads another good start, picking the left side of the field. A choice that does not turn out to be a happy one because at the first crossing Team New Zealand passes in the brim after an initial advantage of the Italian boat. Luna Rossa seems to be walking well upwind, with a little less gap than the Kiwis, but Peter Burling does not seem in the mood for gifts today, limiting himself to soft marking without smearing and taking advantage of Te Reutai’s greater horsepower. Kiwis stretch relentlessly, silence falls in the Italian night. Thus ends, without further gasps, a regatta, this match number 10, that was never really in question.

BOA 1 7 seconds ETNZL

BOA 2 9 seconds

BOA 3 27 seconds

BOA 4 37 seconds

BOA 5 46 seconds

Mauro Giuffrè

See you at 1 p.m. on the Sailing Journal’s Faceebook and YouTube for a new installment of The Cup Journal. Bacci Del Buono and Mauro Giuffrè’s guests will be Luca Bassani, Paolo Semeraro, Ettore Botticini, Giacomo Prestini and Federico Albano.

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