Barcelona thriller, Luna Rossa breaks mainsail carriage: semifinal at 4-3

A disturbance has passed over Barcelona, leaving its marks on the race course, where the fourth day of the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals is being staged. The Levante blew hard yesterday, the sign of its passage being a long wave but with the wind now dropping, a combination that makes today’s conditions very tricky for the AC 75s.
Luna Rossa and Ineos Britannia go into the hunt for the match point, with the two challenges stopped at 4-1.
The day starts very badly for the British, however, with Alinghi rediscovering itself much more effective in these conditions than Britannia, going on to win an unhoped-for point in race number 1 of this day.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs. American Magic

Luna Rossa tacking to port, American Magic tacking to starboard.
Pre start closer than in previous days, with American Magic doing better positioning and managing to get off the line better.
They tack badly, however, and fail to maintain the lead at the first crossing.
Luna Rossa stretches well in this first windward mark, taking advantage of better maneuverability but also an ability to grip the wind better.
In the stern, however, the situation changes again, Luna Rossa gybes in an area of little air and loses the lead, but the maneuvering looks very complicated now for both boats.
In the second part of the stern American Magic falls off the foils on the gybe, Luna Rossa sniffs the trap and even decides to tack to try to stay on the foils and the choice seems to work Rossa stays in the air and overtakes.
The descent to the Stern Gate, however, is very complex, with the wind spotty and the boats looking for pressure zones to maneuver.
They arrive paired at the Stern Gate and separation is inevitable: American Magic goes right, Luna left.
She crosses ahead upwind, but by a very small margin, American Magic, which, however, has no margin to get into cover and leaves the right to the Italians.
In the meantime, the committee has reduced the sides to 4, due to the drop in wind.
Back ahead at the next crossing is Luna Rossa, in yet another change of leadership in this race.
At the last windward gate American Magic comes up on starboard tack and passes, with Luna Rossa failing to make the mark.
“Crazy” regatta, the Italian boat falls off the foils to try to take the last windward gate, but at the first gybe the same happens to the Americans.
The race turns into a displacement race, with the Americans, however, having a substantial lead.
Luna Rossa remains stationary in an area of little wind, American Magic hooks a gust and takes off, going for the point and reopening the series.

Ineos Britannia wins the finals

The wind is dropping but allows the Race Committee chaired by Ian Murray to continue with the day’s program.
And so Ineos, which in the meantime has changed the double mainsail putting a larger pair, goes to close the contest.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing has the merit of fighting until the last meter and never giving up, still maneuvering well and showing that it has raised its level over the course of the competition.
Ben Ainslie wins his second consecutive challenger final, eliminating the Swiss 5-2.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs. American Magic, second race

Luna Rossa tack to port, Americans tack to starboard, wind around 8 knots, but the intensity is not constant.
American Magic manages to get on the bow of the Italian boat, which in these light wind conditions is a good move in the pre-start, and the Americans win the start overall.
Very tight upwind with several lead changes, American Magic turns in the lead, but the margin is minimal.
The Americans do not mark and allow a wide separation to the Italian boat, which manages to hook a good pressure and passes.
Tension rises, for a race that could be decisive for the series.
American Magic gybes well at the bottom of the stern, in good wind strength, and puts her head back ahead.
The Americans, however, give up the right and leave it to Luna Rossa, who takes advantage and we see another overtake, this time, however, with over 100 meters of margin for the Italian boat.
The wind is patchy, everything changes quickly, and American Magic stitches up from the left in the final part of the second windward leg.
We have already lost the number of overtakes and counter-overtakes.
Paired boats at the start of the second stern.
Tight crossing in the stern, but at the most beautiful collapses Luna Rossa breaks the mainsail carriage.
Race over for the Italian boat, and third point won for American Magic.
It’s back on the water tomorrow and a 4-3 restart. We talk about it at 6:30 p.m. in a very hot episode of Il Processo alla Coppa, Mauro Giuffrè and Luca Sordelli’s guests will be Federico Albano (racer and analyst for Formula 1 Passion), Medea Falcioni (European and world iQfoil champion), Ida Castiglioni (first Italian woman to cross the Atlantic in a regatta, sent to Barcelona), Riccardo Ravagnan (Meteomed meteorologist).