Prada Cup final: alarm clocks set, battle begins again on Saturday, Feb. 20

Luna Rossa and the Challenger of Record eventually hold their ground and get racing resumed, after a fiery press conference staged in the Italian night at ACE (America’s Cup Events) there is nothing left to do but relent and give the go-ahead for the resumption of the Prada Cup Final as early as this weekend. It’s back on the water Saturday, Feb. 20 at 4 a.m. Italian time for the fifth and sixth races of the series. Skip the 19th as the official race day, Ian Murray in fact, the Race Director, would not have sufficient means at his disposal to be able to get on the water with all the necessary logistics to have the races held as early as Friday, as per the original schedule.

In fact, the non-regatta on the 19th is not a problem, being the first day of racing on the calendar to be skipped. With make-up days scheduled at the end of the series, the last possible date being Feb. 24, the situation of Ineos having to attempt a comeback over Luna Rossa is unchanged and chances have not been compromised.

The hope is that now the controversy will die down and the only talking point will be the water in the coming hours, which will decide who will be the winner of this Prada Cup and thus go on to challenge Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup in March.

The Cup Newspaper returns live from Friday, February 19 at 1 p.m. With a surprise, our Bacci Del Buono and Mauro Giuffrè will have as their guest Paul Cayard, the helmsman of the Moro di Venezia and Luna Rossa’s great opponent in the 2000 Louis Vuitton Cup. The Cup Newspaper will then air daily, also at 1 p.m., after each day of racing. Appointment then also on Feb. 20, 21 and 22, until we know who will be the official challenger to Emirates Team New Zealand.