Luna Rossa strikes, Britannia responds: Louis Vuitton Cup final at 1-1

A full twenty knots on the Barcelona race course, and naval battle conditions for the AC 75s of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Ineos Britannia engaged in the first day of the Louis Vuitton Cup finals. The Italian team takes to the water on the wave of enthusiasm from the Youth America’s Cup victory and with Ben Ainslie the first day ends 1-1 but with good feelings for Team Prada.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs Ineos Britannia – match 1

First to enter the left-hand side of the box is Luna Rossa.
Usual circling on the right side of the box for the boats.
Ben Ainslie very aggressive to chase Luna Rossa from downwind, but the timing of his move is not good and Luna Rossa starts upwind of the British, who immediately tack and go right.
Upwind speed immediately above 40 knots.
Good news for Luna Rossa at the first crossing, comfortably ahead.
Luna closes the first windward mark with an 11-second margin, on the leeward mark clocking 52.3 knots of speed.
At the stern the boats’ speeds are very similar, the gap in meters remains unchanged, as does the gap in seconds.
At the stern gate to seek a separation Ben Ainslie calls a turn with subsequent tack, the maneuver is risky and the British slow in a splash down that is worth another advantage in meters for Luna Rossa.
Careful Bruni and Spithill in the tack, with a good mark on Britannia, a strategy that pays off at the second windward gate: 25-second margin. Halfway through the second stern small splash down by Luna Rossa, solved at speed but leaving a few tens of meters on the water: 18 seconds lead now.
The upwind tack is to still precise and Luna Rossa regains in the fifth side of the race.
At the start of the third stern solid choice by Luna who anticipates the gybe to not let the British separate, despite a significant lead on the water.
The reassuring thing in this first match is that Ineos does not seem to have such numbers to be able to come back with performance alone, a good sign considering that the British were considered very fast in strong winds.
The last upwind does not give Luna Rossa much concern, with Ben Ainslie under control and at the moment unable to shorten his gap.
The Italian boat goes for a clear point, with a 46-second lead, risking nothing and never giving the impression of letting the opponent back in.
The Louis Vuitton Cup final for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli begins in the best possible way.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs Ineos Britannia – match 2

Wind at the limit in the second match of the Louis Vuitton Cup final, after a couple of slips the Race Committee gives the start on the 21-knot limit. Enter Britannia on port tack, on starboard Luna Rossa entering the box a bit late.
Circling in the right side of the box, with Britannia trying to be more aggressive but eventually an even start comes out, with the two boats launched on the line.
Speed heads evenly in the first edge to the left boundary, with Luna Rossa trying to annoy the Brits after the turn, trying to reduce the lateral distance.
Britannia resists, however, and gradually manages to put her nose ahead.
The Brits’ margin, however, is small and at the windward gate, Luna Rossa can split. She stretches Ineos at the start of the stern, taking advantage of a bit of left wind swing that favors her in the starboard tack after the gybe.
At the first gate of the stern taper 17 seconds ahead of Ben Ainslie and Dylan Fletcher, but they concede a generous separation to the Italian team.
A choice that Luna Rossa immediately manages to exploit and at the crossing she shortens sharply and in fact there are only 7 seconds left at the end of the second windward leg. Luna Rossa goes on the attack in the second downwind, shortening the distance and giving the impression of keeping the match open.
Very nice stern, with the two boats always over 45 knots.
Ben Ainslie this time at the stern gate chooses the left, the side that rewarded Luna Rossa in the previous windward leg, and immediately veers into cover.
Strategy that pays off more and Britannia that seems to defend itself better in this third windward leg.
However, the margin is small, just 10 seconds between the two boats. He sails as much on the wind and less on his opponent Ben Ainslie in the third run, and the choice works well this time as the lead rises to 12 seconds.
Now Britannia seems in control, with Luna Rossa starting to be within striking distance.
He shuts the door on Ainslie and spreads his elbows, starting the last stern with Luna Rossa in control, 17 seconds away.
There is no way for the Italian boat to get back in, Britannia makes no mistake and goes on to take the series 1-1.
It’s back on the water Saturday, at 2:15 p.m. We talk about it at 6:30 p.m. on Process to the Cup, guests of Mauro Giuffrè and Luca Sordelli will be Giovanni Ceccarelli (one of the most successful Italian designers with great experience in the America’s Cup), performance analyst Federico Albano from Formulauno Passion), Meteo Red meteorologist Riccardo Ravagnan and Ida Castiglioni from Barcelona. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok1nlS8E9ME