Luna Rossa, the feat does not come: British in America’s Cup 60 years later

It needed a perfect day for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, a sporting feat, to overturn the 6-4 loss to Britannia and Ben Ainslie and win the right to challenge Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup final.
The feat did not come, however; after a faltering start Luna Rossa ended up in the clutches of the Baronet who did what he has done throughout his career and where he is a master: leave no breathing room for his opponent and apply relentless match racing tactics that left no chance for the Italians.
An aggressive start was expected from Luna Rossa but Bruni and Spithill do not vary much from the pattern seen in the other races.
The Italians seem to want the right, but they come off the line a few meters behind and after losing a lot of lateral distance. The first edge is already one of difficulty for ours, forced to tack early to avoid ending up in the British garbage.
At the first crossing Ben Ainslie narrowly manages to close the door, but from there on he gradually increases his lead until he puts himself in a safe position. Luna Rossa’s only real opportunity to come back has it in the third windward mark, following two tacking not well executed by the British.
Luna Rossa makes a comeback, but once again misses that half length ahead to be able to get out of the Baronet’s suffocating mark. From there on, Britannia closed it, tack after tack, gybe after gybe, to a finish line that has been missing for them since as far back as 1964, the last time a British team took part in the America’s Cup. Awaiting them from Oct. 12 is Emirates Team New Zealand, for an absolutely unprecedented AC match.Luna Rossa returns home with a heavy load of regrets, also and especially concerning this final.
Dramatically weighed down are the two races lost to breakdowns, but also affecting the overall economy of the challenge are the many unaggressive starts, rarely won, most recently today’s. The even greater regret is also another: perhaps never before has Luna Rossa had a boat that was very competitive and close to being the best among all the teams, something that perhaps had not happened in the past.
A very performance boat but one that showed some frailties, to which were also added those of a crew that left a few too many mistakes along the way.
There will be time for analysis, to figure out what and when could have been done better or differently, but the bitterness of the feeling of having wasted a great opportunity remains.
We talk about it at 6:30 p.m. on The Cup Process with Luca Bassani, Giovanni Ceccarelli, Simone Malagugini, Federico Albano and Ida Castiglioni.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbXWVvxyQH8 Mauro Giuffrè